More Misery For Lacklustre Robins

Ashton Suffer Home Blues Yet Again. Report by Steve Lee

Ashton United suffered more home blues as Rushall Olympic boosted their hopes of reaching the play offs for the first time by edging a five goal thriller at Hurst Cross.
The visitors took advantage of a very lenient referee with some cynical challenges that were punished by a free kick and no cards, Matty Kosylo and Aaron Burns bearing the brunt of some poor challenges.
Kosylo had the first chance as he had a shot deflected for a corner, the first of three corners in a row as Rushall struggled to keep Ashton at bay.
The Robins duly got the goal they deserved when Kosylo was brought down and top scorer Aaron Burns curled the ensuing free kick around the wall and into the net to give Ashton the lead.
Rushall’s reply was immediate as they levelled straight from the restart, a three man move on the edge of the area ending with Ahmed Obeng firing past Paul Phillips.
Rushall wasted little time in taking the lead, the Midlands side netting through Dave Walker following a goalmouth scramble after Phillips appeared to have been impeded.
The impressive Obeng was denied by Phillips when through on goal again and the Ashton keeper produced a wonder save to deflect Josh Craddock’s shot away.
Olympic took advantage of some sloppy defending as Obeng bagged his second of the game to make it three in little over ten minutes.
When Obeng was felled in the area Rushall had the chance to add a fourth just before the break, but Phillips saved the spot kick by Walker to continue his fine record at saving spot kicks for Ashton.
Michael Connors shot weakly at Chris Gemmell as the Robins aimed to get back in the game early in the second half.
Ashton did grab a goal back twenty minutes into the second half as Kosylo latched onto Burns pass and gave Chris Gemmell no chance with a fierce drive.
Obeng continued to lead Ashton’s defence a merry dance but Phillips was once more alert to take the ball off him when clean through and then after a great run the Ashton keeper produced another wonderful save.
The nearest Ashton got to an equaliser came when Thomas Moore crossed from the right and substitute Dennis Sherriff saw his header saved at point blank range.
Burns lashed a shot wide after a poor clearing header from Wayne Daniel and the same player shot wide in injury time after latching on to a clearance from Phillips.

ASHTON Phillips, Frost, Harrop, Moore, Robinson, Lynch, Kosylo, Burke (Sherriff), Burns, Connors (Baguley 63), Lambert (Amadi 55). subs not used Bangman, Smith