Robins Give Tigers The Bird

Report by Steve Lee.

Chris Amadi produced a man of the match performance with two assists and two goals as Ashton United maintained their unblemished home record with victory over strugglers Worksop Town.

Ashton had to recover from losing a two-goal lead before taking charge of the game immediately after.

The Robins were dealt a big blow in the fourth minute when Danny Caldecott limped off to be replaced by Alex Frost, with the versatile Kyle Harrop filling in at left back.

Ashton took the lead with a fantastic strike on eight minutes as Amadi played the ball into the path of Ian Bennett, who fired home from 25 yards, with Jon Worsnop standing no chance.

The Tigers then created several openings that caused Ashton problems, Terry Smith parried a shot from Mark Hudson away and then he tipped a goalbound header from Marc Roberts over the bar. The resultant corner was met again by Roberts, but Smith held comfortably.

Ashton then enjoyed some possession that saw a couple of chances created, Amadi got on the end of a Ben Smith pass but shot wide and Aaron Burns tried his luck from outside the area, but shot over.

The Tigers then pressed the self-destruct button as James Cotterill's cross field pass was intercepted on the edge of the area by Amadi, who gave Worsnop no chance with a fierce drive.

Two minutes from the break George Melling was penalised for a foul in the area that Hudson fired into the roof of the net.

Worksop made the early running in the second half, Luke Shiels headed over from a well flighted corner by dead ball expert Hudson, and Smith tipped a shot from Steve Gardner away.

Ashton looked dangerous when they attacked, Melling headed over from a Wayne Cahill corner, Burns' shot was deflected wide and then the Robins striker fired a shot from an acute angle that Worsnop got a hand on and diverted onto the bar, the referee awarding a goal kick, bizarrely.

Worksop's comeback was complete when Marc Thompson and Gardner combined on the right and Shiels headed the resultant cross in at the near post.

Ashton didn't take long to regain the lead, a matter of a minute, as Amadi led the charge with a foraging run down the right, leaving defenders in his wake before unleashing a shot past Worsnop.

Town substitute Jamie Jackson attempted a lob that went over the bar and Smith easily saved from Luke Sharry as the visitors tried to get back on terms.

The two goal cushion was restored with Amadi turning provider as he once more raced down the right and passed to Burns, who held off a challenge before firing his first goal in open play of the season.

Ashton pressed for further goals, Peter Wright's deft pass to Bennett saw the midfielder beat two tackles only to curl an effort just wide of the far post and Worsnop saved from Bennett to keep the score respectable for a Worksop side that contributed to a fine game throughout.

Ashton; T Smith, Harrop, Caldecott (Frost 4), Murphy, Melling, Rimmer, B Smith, Bennett, Burns (Wright 85), Amadi, Cahill (Lambert 64). subs not used Bathurst, Madeley