Over And Out

By Steve Hobson

Management reign over and cup exit following abject performance. Report by David Robinson

Ashton’s FA Cup campaign fell at the first hurdle as the successful management reign of Steve Halford and Paul Phillips was brought to an end by a convincing victory for the visitors from Cheshire. The visitors were without winger Steve Jones who scored in the league match in August but warning signs were sounding in the first few minutes as Osebi Abadaki’s cross saw Ryan Brooke shoot straight at Phillips and another cross from Abadaki then had to be cleared after he had moved away from Stephen Mason. A good move by the hosts then saw Chris Baguley set up Ryan Crowther who fired wide of the near post but on the quarter hour full back Andy White ventured into the penalty area and latched on to a short back pass from Alex Frost and rounded Phillips before squeezing home the opener.

Mark Lees then failed to connect with Adam Mather’s pull back for the Robins and Baguley’s clever chip just cleared the crossbar before White set up Sean Cooke for an effort which went drifting wide. On the resumption Abadaki then beat Mason and found his brother Godwin at the back post who shot directly at Phillips but with the Dabbers playing on the break they almost scored again as Wayne Riley picked up Brooke’s pass and rounded Phillips before Mather arrived to clear the danger.

As Ashton tried to strike back a good turn by Lee Gaskell saw Danny Wilkins’ low effort saved before Brooke sent in a curling left foot effort which required Phillips to claw the ball away from the goal line but with 12 minutes remaining there was no escape for the hosts as another break saw Brooke tee up Osebi Abadaki for an easy finish and substitutes Josh Gordon and Godwin Abadaki then had a neat exchange of passes before the former fired home the third. In between times sub Jody Banim came as close as anyone for the Robins seeing a deflected effort go just wide with Parton stranded but Godwin Abadaki could then have made things even worse as he curled an effort narrowly wide.