Yabber Dabber Do!

Chaddy at the double, again!

Ashton continued their decent away form and moved up to sixth in the Premier Division table by reversing last season’s score line. With an unchanged line up from the Marine game, goalkeeper Ashley Frith had to be alert to deal with Sean Cooke’s free kick to the near post before a decent move saw Lanre Olapede put his cross too close to the Nantwich guardian.
Just ten minutes into the action Olapede’s inside pass brought a typical finish from in-form Matty Chadwick as he switched on to his left foot and hammered home from just outside the area. With the Robins looking comfortable in possession a fine pass sent Alex Johnson down the left wing from where he cut inside before firing just too high.
Captain Mark lees then won the ball in midfield and exchanged passes with Liam Tomsett before slotting home the second from similar range to Chadwick’s strike. The Dabbers then started to threaten as Morgan progressed down the left wing and saw his cross reach Cotterell who could only find the side netting as Frith narrowed the angle. On 25 minutes the visitors could have practically made the game safe as Tomsett progressed through the middle and set up Johnson but he too could only steer his effort into the side netting.

Within 5 minutes of the restart the hosts could have pulled one back as Jones’s cross found Cotterell unmarked in the centre with Frith blocking well but a couple of minutes later Dominic Smalley was penalised for fouling substitute Clayton but Cooke’s penalty allowed Frith to make a good save low to his left. Cooke then sent a loose ball swinging wide of the far angle and on the hour Chadwick’s ball into the area saw Danny Pilkington sort his feet out only to fire over the bar. Five minutes later Tomsett’s pass released Chadwick who hammered just too high with Burzynski nowhere but with 8 minutes left Johnson’s persistence saw him win a penalty from Mullarkey with Chadwick’s aim from the spot again unerring.
Right on time Clayton pulled a goal back with a low effort which crept through a crowd of players and almost immediately Stair headed in a near post corner but the Robins were able to hold on.

Team: Frith, Olapede, Smalley, Granite, Chalmers, Platt (Smith 79), Lees, Tomsett, Johnson, Pilkington, Chadwick, SNU: Banim, Povey, Durnin, Roberts..