Lions tamed by Robins

Report by David Robinson. Photos Jez Sayle

A single second half strike by Matt Regan was enough for Ashton to hold on at Hurst Cross for their second home win of the season. With Aaron Chalmers having picked up an injury on Saturday Luke Ashworth started in central defence and the action started with Cliff Moyo just clearing a through ball ahead of Josh Askew. Paul Clayton then headed James’s cross into Pilling’s arms and after Felix’s cross was cleared by Ashworth the resulting corner was picked up by Felix who moved on to his left foot before firing a shot against the left hand post.
Hatfield’s snap shot on the turn was then held by Pilling and on a breezy evening Matty Chadwick struck a loose ball across the face of goal for the hosts. Hatfield’s low free kick needed Pilling to touch it away for a corner which saw Thornton’s far post header wide of the target. The overlapping Moyo then won another corner from which Clayton’s header was just cleared off the goal line by Matty Hill and Hatfield turned inside and sent a dipping effort just too high.

Ashworth was replaced by Curtis Jones at half time and Clayton volleyed Felix’s cross just past the near post. Jones’s poor back pass set Clayton up with Lewis Baines to the rescue and Pilling making the save after the ball had broken to Hatfield. Substitute Liam Martin then just failed to knock Moyo’s headed back pass beyond keeper Green and Bradley Jackson side footed a disappointing effort at the open goal.
Hatfield then had an effort blocked from Felix’s pull back but midway through the half Sam Sheridan’s fine pass released Mark Lees down the right and when his cross reached Regan he fired it into the top corner on his right foot. The Robins were then forced into a rearguard action for the final 20 minutes, no more so than when a right wing cross needed Pilling to pull off a fingertip save from Thornton’s attempt and when Walters’ cross was scrambled away by Jones.

Ashton Utd: Pilling, Lees, Hill, Ashworth (Jones 46), Baines, Sheridan, Jackson, Regan, Chadwick (Martin 59), Tomsett, Askew. SNU: Anghel, Hendes.