Ashton turn table upside down!

Report by David Robinson. Pictures Jez Sayle

Ashton turned the form book upside down as 3 goals inside the first twenty minutes were enough to defeat play off contenders Spennymoor at Hurst Cross. The hosts were without the suspended Scott Kay but wasted no time in making inroads and after Lewis Hawkins had been penalised for handball Sam Sheridan curled home a fine free kick from 22 yards after a quarter of an hour. Two minutes later and Sheridan’s long ball won a corner which saw his own delivery touched back by Matt Regan for Kallum Mantack to finish close in.
With Town reeling it only took another 3 minutes for Craig Hobson to start the move which saw a right wing ball laid off by Liam Tomsett for centre forward Hobson to fire home first time. The visitors’ best effort came soon after as Hawkins’ header from Shane Henry’s cross drifted past the far post and Aaron Chalmers’ flick then saw Hobson’s effort drop straight into Matthew Gould’s arms. The ball then reached Glen Taylor who fired over on his right foot and Diamond shot on the turn straight at McMahon.
Just before the hour Henry sent a fizzing effort which needed to be palmed away by George McMahon and Liam Goulding made a timely challenge on Jacob Hibbs as Town tried to mount some pressure. Their task got much harder on 69 minutes as Jamie Chandler received two cards in quick succession for dissent and James Curtis headed Callum Williams long throw past the near post.
At the other end Hobson guided Mantack’s near post cross just off the target and the Robins could have registered again as Paul Ennis headed Crowley’s deep cross beyond the far post and then beat Gould to head Sheridan’s corner goal wards with James Curtis needing to clear off the line. Connor Dimaio then shot straight at the keeper from Ennis’s lay off and Taylor beat Crowley but saw his effort blocked by Tomsett at Ashton kept their survival hopes alive ahead of next week’s crucial encounter at Guiseley.
Ashton Utd: McMahon, Crowley, Regan, Chalmers, T Lees, Goulding, Sheridan (Roberts 88), Mantack (Ennis 76), Hobson (Reed 74) Dimaio, Tomsett,. SNU: Woodford.