Pics and Robins Share the Spoils

Report by David Robinson

Ashton would have been disappointed to return from the Midlands with only a single point after dominating much of the possession on a heavy surface at Dales Lane. With Stephen Mason suspended the Robins handed a full debut to Simon Woodford and welcomed Jack Dyche back from suspension on the right side of the attack.
With 8 minutes elapsed Richard Smith took Mark Lees’ ball past a defender and saw his effort deflected over before slicing the resulting corner well wide and at the other end Max Cartwright was just on hand to deny Aaron Forde with a last ditch tackle. With the interval approaching Maiese’s pass found Dyche on the turn forcing Veiga to tip over and from the resulting corner Ryan Crowther’s delivery was headed back by Richard Smith for Dyche to sweep home the opener. Crowther then forced Veiga to tip over his free kick after he had been fouled by Sam Whittall as the visitors finished the half strongly.

On the resumption Dominic Smalley strode forward before sending a 30 yard effort wide and Crowther then won a free kick 25 yards out but placed it over the bar. On the hour Luckie reached the by line for Rushall before Bannister saw his close range effort blocked but 8 minutes later substitute Gurjit Singh stepped off the bench for his debut and slotted home the equaliser after a through ball had been touched away from Woodford by Max Cartwright.
Dyche then took down a through ball superbly before dragging his effort wide before another twisting run saw his deep cross land just too far ahead of Crowther. Inside the final ten minutes a pass then sent Bottomer racing through the middle from where he placed his effort wide of the left hand post and Bowerman’s cross then fell to Singh whose shot was just cleared by Cartwright. The final action saw Forde burst into the area and set up Bowerman whose attempt was blocked by Luke Pilling with Singh’s follow up effort also being denied by the Ashton keeper.
Team: Pilling, Smalley, Maiese, Woodford, Cartwright, Lees, Smith, Stachini (Coo), Knight (Chadwick), Crowther, Dyche SNU: Banim, Roberts, Lowe..