A Good Day Out

Ashton maintained their unbeaten start in the league as 4 goals were shared at Hednesford’s Keys Park following an early season rearranged reverse fixture. With Gary Gee now departed Richard Smith started in midfield with new signing Bobby Lofthouse on the bench.

Just 6 minutes had elapsed when the visitors moved ahead as Chris Baguley, doubtful after picking up an injury last week, latched on to a long throw and fired home underneath Ransome. Stephen Mason’s loose clearance then found Danny Glover slicing his effort well wide and Baguley was then unable to get clean contact on his header from Ryan Crowther’s cross. A great cross field pass by Jack Dorney then picked out Crowther who wasted the chance trying to cut inside the last man and Lee Gaskell then headed Mason’s cross narrowly wide with Ransome scrambling.

Having looked comfortable defensively during the first period the Robins immediately came under pressure after the break and a cross reached the unmarked Joel Logan who cut inside before firing horribly wide and George Carline then set up the winger who brought a close range save out of Terry Smith. The Pitmen then came the closest so far to levelling matters as Lewis Wright made a fine run down the right wing and cut inside before floating a cross/shot over Smith only to see the woodwork intervene as the hosts upped the ante.

Sure enough Logan soon made a run across the area with the ball reaching Gurjit Singh whose low effort restored parity and a pull back from the wing then found Logan firing spectacularly wide after which a 1-2 between Glover and Singh needed Smith to come to the rescue from the former’s shot. With 25 minutes left Matty Chadwick made an immediate impact from the bench, picking up Lee Gaskell’s flick before beating a defender and rounding the keeper to finish from a tight angle – bizarrely for the second time this season Chadwick then had to be subbed himself after picking up an injury.

Just three minutes later and after Singh had been denied from close range from Maye’s cross, a ball to the back post was headed back and the winger forced home his second goal of the contest. Singh then outpaced Joe Connor and Logan would have been embarrassed as he screwed his far post effort wide, and Alex Frost then rescued Ashton with a clearance in front of goal. Sub Brown then beat the offside trap but was unable to keep his effort down and Smith was then required to make a good save from Bramall’s snap shot.

Team; Smith, Coo, Mason, Frost, Connor, Lees (Lofthouse), Crowther, Smith, Gaskell, Baguley (Chadwick, Nevins), Dorney. SNU: Haining, Banim.