Alty win battle of the Robins

Report by David Robinson

Ashton exited their second cup competition of the season, on penalties, as the hosts won the shootout after an entertaining 90 minutes of normal time. The visitors handed a debut at left back to Josh Greenhalgh and got off to a flying start after just 3 minutes as Nic Evangelinos and Liam Tomsett combined to work the ball out to Matty Chadwick who cut inside before providing a typical low finish.

With 18 minutes gone Tom Peers progressed dangerously into the area where Tom Eckersley needed to make a well timed tackle before Peers hooked a bouncing ball past the far post. Callum Jones’ ball then almost fell to Max Harrop with John Roberts effecting an interception but 4 minutes later the ball came off the referee for ex-Ashton man Harrop to fire home the equaliser from 20 yards and almost immediately Sheridan’s pass saw Peers beat the offside trap to rifle home the second. A neat move from Ashton then ended with Chadwick having a shot held before the centre forward turned brilliantly on to a pass bringing a good low save out of Deasy, but on the interval Chadwick made his way past Densmore and saw his pull back swept home by Tomsett.

Fifteen minutes into the second half and Tomsett’s difficult back pass saw Ollerenshaw robbed by Sheridan with Miller’s shot deflected over and Evangelinos then back heeled a cross towards goal with insufficient power and saw his own cross pass adjacent to the far post. Substitute Palmer immediately curled a left foot effort past the far post for Alty before Ashton took the lead again with the best move of the evening as Eckersley intercepted and saw Simon Woodford play Evangelinos down to the right by line from where his cross was helped over the line by Eckersley who had continued his run forward.

Unfortunately the Ashton Robins couldn’t hold on and 3 minutes later a volley from the edge of the area saw Miller’s effort come back off Ollerenshaw for Walsh to level matters again and force a penalty shootout which saw the home side progress to the second round.
Team: Ollerenshaw, Woodford, Greenhalgh (Beesley 49), Eckersley, Chalmers, Roberts, Lees, Tomsett (Slinn 80), Chadwick, Dyche (Pilkington 57), Evagelinos. SNU: Banim, Carnell.