Pre-Season Closed Out With A Win!

Report by David Robinson.

Ashton completed their friendly fixtures with a victory over Jim Gannon’s Northwich courtesy of a goal in each half. They got off to the best possible start as Joel Melia’s right wing cross found Martin Pilkington and Dale Johnson getting in each other’s way before Johnson rescued the situation teeing up his strike partner for the opening goal. On the quarter hour Williams’ cross for the Vics found Sanoed totally unmarked but he put his header straight at Phillips.

A fine combination between Kevin Leadbetter and Johnson put Pilkington into the clear but he placed a poor effort straight at Griffiths. Midway through the half Joe Connor left the field after a challenge on Sanoed and Roddy then went close to equalising rolling a free kick right across the area and just past the far post. Ten minutes before the break a poor clearance by Phillips fell straight to Sanoed who fired well over the open goal.

At the start of the second half the Robins should have doubled their lead after Krue’s foul on Pilkington but Garry Gee’s penalty struck the right hand post with Kyle Jacobs firing a volley on target from the follow up. Former Ashton striker Richard Bennett then touched Roddy’s corner on but the ball was just scrambled away before a long cross reached Ian Howard who sliced his effort wide as the visitors came closer to finding an equaliser.

With a quarter of an hour remaining Chris Baguley registered the second with a deflected 20 yard free kick and Adam Morning then sent a curling effort just wide of the left post and Chris Stephenson missed an open goal from 30 yards after Morning had outwitted the keeper.

Team: Phillips, Jacobs, Mason, Wilson, Priestly, Connor, Leadbetter, Gee, Johnson, Pilkington, Melia

Bench: Baguley, Sutherland, Rick, Harrop, Vincent, Morning.