Cheadle Town 1 Ashton Athletic 3
Ashton Athletic took full advantage of being the only Vodkat League Division 2 fixture to beat the weather by taking maximum points in a 3-1 win at Cheadle Town. The away win allowed Ashton to leapfrog promotion rivals Chadderton and Kirkham & Wesham to draw level on points with 2nd placed Oldham Town.
On a heavy pitch it took both teams a while to acclimatise to the conditions and first half chances were few and far between. Cheadle perhaps had the clearer sights at goal without really troubling 'latics keeper Andy Paxton, as strike partners Mike Myers and Dean Martin came closest with speculative efforts, Martin's first effort producing a routine save by Paxton.
Ashton's best effort followed excellent build up play as a Mike Burke cross field ball found Steve Wallace free down the right, and what seemed like a pin point cross to the far post agonisingly skipped past striker Paul Mcveigh who was straining for the slightest of contacts that would have given Ashton the lead. HT 0-0
The second half was a different matter with both teams playing some excellent attacking football that belied the ground conditions. First, Cheadle came out of the blocks with Andy Lindon shooting wide after picking up the rebound from a Dean Martin strike which had been well saved by Andy Paxton, the first of a series of crucial saves throughout the half.
This provoked Ashton into greater endeavours and in the 52nd minute another great cross from the right by Steve Wallace reached Pat Aspinall at the far post whose deadly finish gave the visitors the lead. 1-0
Two minutes later Dave Sherlock followed the trend set by Wallace and delivered another telling cross that was met sweetly by Chris Almond, however this time the header flashed over the bar with Cheadle Town keeper Peter Mellor rooted to the floor.
Cheadle fought to get level and a long range shot from Dean Martin made Paxton work in the 50th minute, before Ashton's Aspinall once again stole in down the left, forcing Cheadle keeper Mellor into a superb reflex save to turn the ball around the post.
Ashton poured forward and the introduction of substitute Tom Potter produced immediate return as his long distance shot screamed towards the top corner only to be turned away by keeper Mellor with another fine save. The loose ball was picked up by Wallace who crossed early onto the head of centre half Chris Lawton who grabbed his 4th goal of the season and increased Ashton's lead. 2-0
Cheadle would not lie down and Ashton's keeper Paxton was back in the action again firstly after 67 minutes to save a Johnny Hussain powerful left-footed shot and then an even better stop low down from an Andy Lindon free-kick on 75 minutes. Two minutes later Martin got free again but Paxton was once again on hand to block the shot.
As Cheadle committed more men forward Ashton took advantage of more space to play and a Chris Weeder snap shot was well saved again by keeper Mellor and then Paul Mcveigh shot inches over after another Wallace cross from the right.
Ashton finally put the game to bed in the 89th minute as top scorer Paul Mcveigh grabbed his 19th goal of the season in all competitions with a brave header, beating the on rushing Peter Mellor to a speculative through ball after a scuffed clearance by the Cheadle shot stopper. 3-0
With all three points secure a lapse in concentration allowed Cheadle sub Scott Flanagan a sniff at goal, an opportunity gleefully accepted, rounding the 'keeper with one of the last kicks of the game to make the scoreline a more respectable 3-1
A great second half performance by Ashton was essential to keep up the pressure at the top and it is easy to see how this spirited Cheadle side have troubled and taken points from promotion rivals Kirkham and Chadderton earlier in the season.
Ashton have another away trip next weekend to Leek CSOB, weather permitting.
On a heavy pitch it took both teams a while to acclimatise to the conditions and first half chances were few and far between. Cheadle perhaps had the clearer sights at goal without really troubling 'latics keeper Andy Paxton, as strike partners Mike Myers and Dean Martin came closest with speculative efforts, Martin's first effort producing a routine save by Paxton.
Ashton's best effort followed excellent build up play as a Mike Burke cross field ball found Steve Wallace free down the right, and what seemed like a pin point cross to the far post agonisingly skipped past striker Paul Mcveigh who was straining for the slightest of contacts that would have given Ashton the lead. HT 0-0
The second half was a different matter with both teams playing some excellent attacking football that belied the ground conditions. First, Cheadle came out of the blocks with Andy Lindon shooting wide after picking up the rebound from a Dean Martin strike which had been well saved by Andy Paxton, the first of a series of crucial saves throughout the half.
This provoked Ashton into greater endeavours and in the 52nd minute another great cross from the right by Steve Wallace reached Pat Aspinall at the far post whose deadly finish gave the visitors the lead. 1-0
Two minutes later Dave Sherlock followed the trend set by Wallace and delivered another telling cross that was met sweetly by Chris Almond, however this time the header flashed over the bar with Cheadle Town keeper Peter Mellor rooted to the floor.
Cheadle fought to get level and a long range shot from Dean Martin made Paxton work in the 50th minute, before Ashton's Aspinall once again stole in down the left, forcing Cheadle keeper Mellor into a superb reflex save to turn the ball around the post.
Ashton poured forward and the introduction of substitute Tom Potter produced immediate return as his long distance shot screamed towards the top corner only to be turned away by keeper Mellor with another fine save. The loose ball was picked up by Wallace who crossed early onto the head of centre half Chris Lawton who grabbed his 4th goal of the season and increased Ashton's lead. 2-0
As Cheadle committed more men forward Ashton took advantage of more space to play and a Chris Weeder snap shot was well saved again by keeper Mellor and then Paul Mcveigh shot inches over after another Wallace cross from the right.
Ashton finally put the game to bed in the 89th minute as top scorer Paul Mcveigh grabbed his 19th goal of the season in all competitions with a brave header, beating the on rushing Peter Mellor to a speculative through ball after a scuffed clearance by the Cheadle shot stopper. 3-0
With all three points secure a lapse in concentration allowed Cheadle sub Scott Flanagan a sniff at goal, an opportunity gleefully accepted, rounding the 'keeper with one of the last kicks of the game to make the scoreline a more respectable 3-1
A great second half performance by Ashton was essential to keep up the pressure at the top and it is easy to see how this spirited Cheadle side have troubled and taken points from promotion rivals Kirkham and Chadderton earlier in the season.
Ashton have another away trip next weekend to Leek CSOB, weather permitting.
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DP at 11:58 AM
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