Extra time agony for Ashton results in semi final exit

Vodkat League Trophy

Semi Final 2^nd Leg

Kirkham & Wesham 2 Ashton Athletic 1 AET

Ashton went into this semi final tie knowing that a score draw would be enough to have seen them through to the final of the League trophy after a 0-0 score line three weeks earlier in the first leg at Brocstedes Park. However a late strike from Kirkham Substitute Paul Paynter 6 minutes from the end of the extra time period denied the ‘latics and despite a monumental effort in the dying minutes the home side held out

Kirkham started in the ascendency clearly looking to put a disappointing performance on Saturday behind them, a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of league leaders New Mills, and an early strike from Micky Horsfall was placed wide. Ashton were struggling to find any momentum and several free kick awards to Kirkham around the box kept the visitors on the back foot. In the 15^th minute a superb delivery into the back post area by Ged Smith found its target as Mark Wane fired the ball into the back of the net unmarked to give the home side the lead.

Ashton finally got going and Mark Court shot wide from the edge of the box and then Steve Wallace got the loose ball after good closing down by Paul McVeigh, but his drive from just inside the box fizzed over the bar.

Pressure started to mount on the Kirkham defence who also started to concede soft free kicks, and on the stroke of half time a great Mike Burke dead ball delivery fell between the Kirkham centre half’s and as Steve Bennett and Simon Gallanders converged onto the ball it was Bennett who got their first and poked the ball up and over the giant Kirkham keeper Pete Summerfield and into the back of the net, giving Ashton the all important away goal. HT 1-1

As in the first half Ashton were slow out of the blocks and a James Sheppard header forced Ashton keeper Joe Clayton to make a good save. Then the lively Sean Patterson broke through but could only place his shot wide. A tactical switch by Ashton midway through the second half wrestled back the initiative for the visitors and Ashton hit a purple patch with 25 minutes of dominance. Tom Potter latched onto a Paul McVeigh flick header but his low drive was blocked away by the huge frame of keeper Summerfield, the first of a series of incredible saves that eventually earned him his team’s man of the match award.

In the 61^st minute Ashton’s own man of the match shot wide and minutes later McVeigh unleashed a thunderbolt that stretched Summerfield and then a shot on the turn that skimmed the top of the cross bar. A Chris Lawton free kick suffered the same fate and then with 2 minutes left on the clock substitute Dave Sherlock cracked a volley against the bar with Summerfield for once a mere spectator.

With extra time looking certain Ashton’s top scorer McVeigh was again denied by the imperious Summerfield who made up ground to smother McVeigh’s shot on the line.

Extra time became an end to end affair and Kirkham skipper Dougie Shaw had the ball in the back of the net in the 94^th minute but was offside from a straight free kick. Then Ashton’s James Lawless had a great chance to put the tie beyond Kirkham as he raced through of the Kirkham goal picking up a defence splitting pass by Gallanders, and as the ball sat up invitingly his lob beat the keeper but carried wide of the goal. A long range effort from Allan Jackson almost put Kirkham ahead but Clayton saved well.

Defences muscled up and with tired legs both teams struggled to find the right quality of pass to make a difference.

Kirkham threw caution to the wind as extra time started to run out, committing more and more men into advanced positions. With 6 minutes on the clock a Kirkham corner was only half cleared and a mistimed shot by Sheppard dropped kindly for Paul Paynter 12 yards out in a crowded penalty box who blasted the ball into the roof of the net to put the home side in front.

It was now Ashton’s turn to throw men forward and time after time goal mouth scrambles ensued, but the loose ball was always either smothered by keeper Summerfield or cleared by a frantic Kirkham rear guard action. With the seconds ticking away and Ashton committed to all out attack Kirkham could have increased the lead as a long clearance reached Patterson whose attempted lob struck keeper Clayton 5 yards outside his box, and as the home supporters screamed for handball referee Worthington waved play on and the attack came to nothing. Ashton continued to pile forward but the superb Kirkham defence stood firm and secured the cup final birth. FT 2-1

Ashton must now bounce back quickly as they take on promotion rivals Oldham Town at the Whitebank Stadium in Oldham on Saturday 3pm KO.