Wigan Cup Semi Final defeat for Ashton

Garswood United 2 Ashton Athletic 1

Wigan Cup Semi Final

Monday 21^st April 2008

Ashton Athletic produced a disappointing performance in the Wigan Cup semi final against Garswood United, played at Ashton Town’s Edge Green Street.

All credit to their mid Cheshire League opponents who were supplemented by a smattering of higher league guest players and produced a determined performance against an Ashton side failing to get up for the challenge.

Garswood looked the hungrier from the start putting pressure on the Ashton defence without creating any chances. Against the run of play an all but fleeting glimpse of quality was shown for Ashton as Simon Gallanders superbly controlled the ball with his chest before volleying the ball into the goal off the inside of the goal post to give Ashton an undeserved lead.1-0

Gallenders with Ashtons opener

Veteran Brian Hatton then got behind the Ashton defence only to be denied by a great save from Andy Hewitt. Hewitt was again forced into action as a Mike Scully toe poke headed goalward.

As half time approached a disputed corner was awarded to Garswood and from the set piece centre half Dougie Pitts stole in unopposed with a powerful header to level the scores. HT 1-1

The defences on both sides then muscled up and the game seemed to be heading for extra time before Ashton squandered possession in their own half and an incisive cross field ball found Mike Scully in the clear too late for the Ashton defence to recover and he cut inside to fire past Andy Hewitt, giving him no chance to save. 1-2

Ashton piled forward in the last 5 minutes but some great last ditch defending stopped any chance of an equaliser and late on a couple of counter attacks almost presented an opportunity for Garswood to increase the lead, but Ashton’s recovering kept the result in doubt until the final whistle

Garswood will now play the winners of the other semi final Standish St Wilfrids v Pemberton to be played on Monday 28^th April 2008 at Garswood’s Simms Road End ground. Ashton must now rely on a run in the Atherton cup and the Hindsford Trophy to have any chance of delivering Silverware this season, and concentrate on racking up the League Points to achieve the best League position possible.