Ashton Town 3 Daisy Hill 1

Daisy Hill are still searching for their first league points of the season after going down 3-1 at Ashton Town.

After a free kick from Ashton’s Rustam Stepans gave the home side a half time advantage, Daisy were looking good for at least a point after a fine goal from Connor Hughes brought them back level midway through the second half.

But two goals in the final seven minutes from Ashton’s Thomas Hewlett and Carl Lownsbrough ensured victory for the home side.

In a game that was played in varying degrees of heavy rain, the opening stages of the first half were fairly even with both sides enjoying spells of possession.

Daisy’s best chance early on came in the 8th minute when Hensley Mills’s cross from the right found Connor Hughes in space inside the box, but his shot was blocked by a terrific covering challenge from Ashton’s Jordan Parkes.

But the deadlock was broken in the 27th minute when Ashton took the lead. A surging run down the middle by Ashton centre forward David Moore was ended when he was brought down from behind by Matty Knowles, who earned a yellow card for the challenge.

From the resulting free kick, Ashton’s Rustam Stepans curled a delightful effort over the wall
and into the bottom corner of the net past the outstretched hand of Cameron Allison.

It nearly got worse for Daisy as Ashton had two chances in as many minutes immediately afterwards, with David Moore screwing a shot wide when through on goal and then James Ludgate had an effort blocked on the goal line.

But Daisy fought back and after Macauley Farrington had a header tipped over the cross bar, Danny Warburton showed neat close control to set up another header from the Daisy left back, but Ashton keeper Zack Hibbert got down low to save at the near post.

Four minutes into the second half, Daisy had keeper Cameron Allison to thank after he made a great double save, first of all from Carl Lownsborough and then Rustam Stepans as the home side began strongly.

Ashton keeper Hibbert had his first save to make in the second half just before the hour mark, when Tom Jackson fired in a well struck shot from 25 yards that the keeper dived full length to push away to safety.

But Daisy finally pulled themselves back into the game with an equaliser midway through the second half.

Substitute Joe Mullarkey, who had just entered the fray in place of Tom Jackson, won the ball in midfield and played the ball wide to Connor Hughes, who cut inside a curled a terrific 25 yarder past Hibbert just inside the far post.

As the rain continued to fall, Daisy pushed forward in search of more opportunities and after Macauley Farrington headed over from a Jake O’Brien corner, Matty Knowles tried his luck with a 30 yarder that flew wide.

Ashton Town, however, continued to look dangerous when they pushed forward, and they killed the game off with two goals in the final eight minutes.

There was a touch of controversy about the second goal, with Daisy keeper Cameron Allison appearing to be impeded as he rose to claim a cross, and when the ball ran free Thomas Hewlett smashed it home from close range.

Four minutes later Ashton added a third goal after a frantic sequence of play, with Allison blocking a Tyreek McCallum shot in a one on one, and Rustam Stepans and Jordan Parkes both hitting the post with shots, before Carl Lownsborough sealed the win when he tucked the ball away from eight yards.