Burns Fires Up Robins

Aaron Burns Assures Hot Finale To Surrey Street Cracker Report Steve Lee

Aaron Burns may not have made as many starts for Ashton United as he had wished for this season, but the striker has made some telling contributions from the bench. He created late winning goals at Fylde and at home to Nantwich and he was the hero in the return game with the Coasters with a late goal to preserve the Robins unbeaten start to the season.

In a fine advert for non-league football, both sides had reasons to think they deserved maximum points from the game, Fylde were the better team for much of the game and missed chances to put the game to bed, before a late Ashton assault on the Fylde goal could have resulted in a home win.

Matty Kosylo had an early shot from the edge of the area that went wide and Mark Peers’ shot was deflected into the grateful hands of Ben Hinchliffe.

Fylde responded with a couple of chances of their own, James Dean headed over following a cross by Michael Barnes and he turned provider again with a cross that Joe Booth headed towards goal with a flying header, but somehow, Terry Smith made a tremendous reaction save to claw the ball away and out of danger.

Midway through the half, Ashton were awarded a penalty as Ben Deegan was impeded by Michael Taylor as he tried to get on the end of a Tom Baker cross allowing Peers to repeat his feat of two weeks ago in comfortably converting from the spot, this to give Ashton the lead.

The Robins began to take control of the game and a Baker effort took a deflection before ending up with Hinchliffe.

Ashton were denied a second penalty when Kosylo’s run was ended with a tackle from behind by Joe Booth, the tricky winger was adjudged to have been fouled right on the edge of the area, although the Robins were insistent the offence had been committed inside the area.

Danny Caldecott struck a fierce free kick that went over the bar.
Fylde almost gave a second goal away when a sloppy back pass forced Hinchliffe to race for the ball and just get his foot on the ball to clear under pressure from Deegan.

Fylde caught the Robins cold from the restart, the Coasters replying within thirty seconds as some neat play on the right ended with Jack Dorney firing past Smith to give the visitors a lift.

Fylde were beginning to take control of the game and Ashton were aiding to this by giving away possession far too cheaply.

Richie Allen almost made Ashton pay as he pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the area and struck a shot just wide of the post.
Ashton produced a clever chance, when a back heel from Deegan set up Baker, but his effort went wide.

Allen went close to giving the visitors the lead as the Robins struggled to clear a free kick, he produced a volley that just went wide.

The same player was to make it third time lucky however, although there was no luck involved, for when an Ashton move broke down, Fylde quickly countered and Allen eventually struck a sweetly struck effort into the top corner with Smith standing no chance.

Dean could have made it three soon after following a neat turn, but his shot went wide of goal.

Hincliffe was then called upon to make a fine save to deny Deegan after he had got on the end of a Matty Burke corner as the Robins began to put some pressure on the Fylde goal.

Substitute Burns cut inside from the right only to be denied at the near post by Hincliffe.

The last ten minutes were one way traffic with Ashton launching wave after wave of attacks, even the centre backs were getting involved in the thick of the action as Craig Robinson’s cross into the area was met by Chris Lynch, whose header went wide.

Matty Barlow saw a shot deflected for a corner and then Robinson got on the end of an Alex Frost cross, but he too failed to hit the target with a header.

With time running out, Ashton finally made their pressure tell, but they looked to be denied again as Frost’s fierce header had the beating of Hincliffe all ends up, only to see the ball hit the bar, luckily for the Robins Burns was on hand to get the decisive touch to spark jubilant scenes.

The goalmouth action was far from over though with both teams , to their credit, still going all out for the three points on offer.

Lynch was expertly picked out at the far post from a cross by substitute Ben Smith, but he couldn’t direct his header as it went wide.

Fylde then had a chance to snatch the game at the death, but Smith made a fine save to deny Adam Carden, before the play switched to the other end and Baker saw his shot well held at the near post by Hincliffe, the final piece of action of a quite exhilarating game.

Ashton: T Smith, Frost, Caldecott (B Smith 79), Baker, Robinson, Lynch, Kosylo (Baguley 61), Burke, Barlow, Deegan, Peers (Burns 61). Subs not used Rose, Harrop