The visitors, second at the start of play began well and created an early opening that saw Terry Smith save at his near post from Adam Roscoe. At the other end Mark Peers curled a shot wide for the Robins.

Chorley were reduced to ten men after only six minutes, the referee having no option but to dismiss Steve Flitcroft following a horror tackle on Warren Beattie, the Ashton midfield man was lucky to get up after receiving a nasty gash to his leg.

Beattie was in the thick of the action soon after as he got on the end of a cross by Peers, but glanced his header wide of the target.

Smith was at full stretch to tip a free kick by Tom Ince over the bar, whilst at the other end, Ince showed his defensive capabilities with a clearance off the line after Alex Frost had headed goalwards from a Peers corner.

A minute later it was the visitors that took the lead after a poor clearance was intercepted by Ince and his cross was steered home from close range by Matt Walwyn.

Russell Saunders, a one time understudy keeper at Ashton saved from an Aaron Burns header and then Beattie produced a sublime pass that gave Matty Kosylo a chance that was comfortably saved by the keeper.

Kosylo ensured he had the last laugh though as in the next attack, Frost played a ball over the Magpies defence and the former Stockport player timed his run to perfection and shot past Saunders for a well taken equaliser.

On the stroke of half time, the dangerous Peers played a ball to Burns who had a shot easily stopped by Saunders.

The second half began with Beattie battling hard to win a tackle on the edge of the area, Kosylo received his pass but shot weakly at the keeper.

The game became very scrappy which suited the ten men of Chorley who had the next chance when Chris Denham fired wide of the goal.

Ashton took the lead with just a quarter of an hour remaining, Peers corner was struck at pace, Frost did superbly to make contact with the ball but his acrobatic cross was accurate as well with Burns on hand to head home his cross much to the delight of the Robins fans.

The points were sealed three minutes later as Chorley sloppily lost possession on the edge of their own area, Burns wasted no time in punishing them with a fierce shot that beat Saunders at his near post.

Roscoe saw an effort saved by Smith who then palmed a shot away from the veteran Steve Foster as the visitors tried in vain for a goal.

The Robins were in no mood for settling for three, Ian Bennett dragged a shot wide following a pass from O'Neill and Chris Amadi was denied a goal against his former employers as Saunders beat away his injury time effort.

Ashton: Smith, Rose, Roberts, Beattie, Frost, Robinson, O'Neill, Lambert (Bennett 68), Burns (Sanasy 90), Kosylo (Amadi 74), Peers. subs not used Harrop, Murphy