Grandstand Finish Sees Robins Home

Not a night for the faint hearted. Report by Dave Robinson

Ashton grabbed all 3 points with an injury time winner having conceded an equaliser just a minute earlier. The Robins, without suspended captain Stephen Mason had to come from behind twice before Richard Smith powered home his second goal of the evening which proved decisive. The visitors were first out of the traps as Curtis Burrows just failed to release Filipe Barcelo with a pass through the middle but 2 minutes later Alex Frost conceded a corner which saw Rhys Lewis help home Burrows’ delivery at the near post.

Jack Dorney then fed Mark Lees who sent a low shot wide before Michael Hollingsworth beat the offside trap and his cross was only prevented from being converted by Barcelo by the intervention of Frost. Ten minutes before the break a piece of play out of keeping with what had gone before saw the Robins level as a forward pass picked out Richard Smith and he stepped past a couple of defenders and found the bottom corner.

Just 2 minutes after the interval Storey’s left wing cross was swept past Terry Smith by Barcelo to give the Gingerbreads the lead again and the same player then forced Smith into another low save shortly afterwards. Midway through the half Ashton were back on terms as Lee Knight’s left wing cross was flicked on by Gaskell for Matty Chadwick to finish off the post and 12 minutes later a pass released Knight down the left wing and he cut inside before beating Turner at his near post for his second goal in as many games. Knight then fired a low cross right across the area but entering added time the visitors put together a quick break which saw another Storey cross swept home at the far post on the half volley by Burrows.

Just as it seemed the hosts would have to settle for a draw Cavell Coo progressed down the right wing and sent in a fine cross which was met by a unstoppable header from Richard Smith to seal the points.

Team: Smith, Coo, Lofthouse, Cowan, Frost, Moses (Chadwick), Lees, R.Smith, Gaskell, Knight, Dorney (Banim). SNU: Haining.