Robins Sink Mariners

Report by David Robinson

Ashton continued their good recent form and thus moved into the top half of the division with victory over their visitors from Merseyside. The Mariners posed an immediate problem after just 6 minutes as Andy Owens laid the ball inside for in form striker Danny Mitchley to provide an emphatic finish from 25 yards to give Phillips no chance. Ashton’s task soon became even harder as Dale Johnson had to be replaced with a hamstring injury with Aaron Burns stepping off the bench and it needed an intervention by Jay Gorton to prevent Thomas Owens releasing Mitchley again.

The home side then moved into the action as Mark Lees, making his second debut at right back, playing a fine ball into the area which broke for Matty Chadwick to drag an effort wide and Paul Marshall then volleyed a pass to Chadwick whose immediate cross just evaded the diving Burns who was given offside in any case. Holden’s deep cross for Marine was then played back by Thomas Owens for Mitchley to hit wide but a couple of minutes later Chadwick’s ball into the area released Jeff King who was adjudged to have been brought down by Cooper who then just failed to prevent Chris Baguley levelling matters up from the spot.

With the game continuing to flow from end to end Peers’ floated free kick was headed just wide by Thomas Owens and then a superb pass by Goulding picked out Chadwick and his cross found Baguley in space to provide a finish underneath Cooper to give Ashton the advantage. Following the restart Chadwick cut inside and forced Cooper into a full length save with Burns putting the rebound into the side netting from an offside position before Chadwick’s swirling cross forced the keeper to fist the ball out for a corner which was fired in low from the edge of the area by Baguley and Burns once again fell foul of the linesman’s flag as he fired over.

Just before the hour there was to be no denying Burns his goal as Marshall spread the ball wide to King and his low cross was converted from close range by the substitute. With 12 minutes left the visitors got back into the game somewhat out of the blue as Andy Owens glanced home Peers’ free kick from the edge of the area but the home defence stood firm for the remaining minutes to secure all 3 points.

Team: Phillips, Lees, Mason, Gorton, Goulding, King (Pilkington), Baguley (Haining), Gee, Marshall, Johnson (Burns), Chadwick. SNU: Coo, Morning.