Debut delight for Davies
Ashton responded well from last week's drubbing at Fylde and grabbed a late winner against Formby FC on Saturday, with recent signing from Atherton Collieries Neil Davies coming off the bench midway through the second half to grab all three points for his new team.
Formby battled well but Ashton shaded the game overall and created more chances, with the woodwork coming to the rescue of the visitors on several occasions.
The first clear chance of the game was created superbly in the 2oth minute by Mike Rhead who burst through the Formby defence drew keeper Kevin Atherton before chipping the ball to the back post. Gareth Peet timed his run to perfection and unleashed a powerful drive that struck the inside of both posts before bouncing away to safety, leaving everyone scrathing their heads wondering how the ball had not crossed the line.
Dave Sherlock was unlucky 2 minutes later cutting in from the left and a curling shot went just wide with keeper Atherton scrambling across goal to cover the shot.
The periood of Ashton pressure was starting to take its toll on the Formby defence and a great defence splitting pass found Kev Kynaston clear through on the keeper and Kynaston cooly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give his side the lead.
Moments later Kynaston was in again but from a wider angle lifted the ball over the keeper towards goal however the covering defender was around quickly enough to clear the danger.
The Ashton defence was looking back to its uncompromising best and from free play Formby strikers Dave Thompson and Steve Carragher were struggling to make headway. Against the run of play however a deep corner caught out Ashton and a header back across goal found marksman Thompson in the right place at the right time to head the ball into the roof of the net to equalise.
Just before the half time break an enforced substitution for Ashton with Joe Evans replacing the unfortunate Paul Townshend, whose return to the first team after a 2 month lay off proved to be short lived. It is hoped that the knock is no more than slight, and that his hard work in the last few months will not suffer to great a setback.
A re shuffle at half time kept Ashton on the front foot with Formby struggling to gain any real momentum. A great effort from Kynaston, whose angled shot struck the inside of the post and rebounded back into the welcoming arms of the Formby keeper with 3 Ashton players ready to pounce onto the loose ball.
After 70 minutes Neil Davies replaced Mike Rhead in the midfield with Rhead having worked his socks off alongside Simon Gallanders. Almost immediately Davies almost put his new side ahead as a great cross from the left reached him on the edge of the six yard box but his powerful header went inches over the bar.
As the full time approached Ashton were pushing for the winner and a long throw by Steve Rothwell was helped on at the near post by Lee Edmunds. In a crowded penalty box Davies was first to the ball and drove it through a crowd of players into the net to give his side a deserved three points.
A hard working performance by Ashton that brought its just rewards and consolidated the Club's 12th place league position. Next Saturday a short trip to Atherton Laburnum Rovers is on the cards, in a 3pm ko
The Ashton Reserve team also consolidated its League place with an away draw at AFC Liverpool as a Paul Hynes strike cancelled out a home side penalty. This takes the team's unbeaten run to 6 games on the bounce a sequence that has lifted them up to 6th position in the Division. Next week the Reserves travel up to Clone FC for a 1st round League cup tie.
Formby battled well but Ashton shaded the game overall and created more chances, with the woodwork coming to the rescue of the visitors on several occasions.
The first clear chance of the game was created superbly in the 2oth minute by Mike Rhead who burst through the Formby defence drew keeper Kevin Atherton before chipping the ball to the back post. Gareth Peet timed his run to perfection and unleashed a powerful drive that struck the inside of both posts before bouncing away to safety, leaving everyone scrathing their heads wondering how the ball had not crossed the line.
Dave Sherlock was unlucky 2 minutes later cutting in from the left and a curling shot went just wide with keeper Atherton scrambling across goal to cover the shot.
The periood of Ashton pressure was starting to take its toll on the Formby defence and a great defence splitting pass found Kev Kynaston clear through on the keeper and Kynaston cooly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give his side the lead.
Moments later Kynaston was in again but from a wider angle lifted the ball over the keeper towards goal however the covering defender was around quickly enough to clear the danger.
The Ashton defence was looking back to its uncompromising best and from free play Formby strikers Dave Thompson and Steve Carragher were struggling to make headway. Against the run of play however a deep corner caught out Ashton and a header back across goal found marksman Thompson in the right place at the right time to head the ball into the roof of the net to equalise.
Just before the half time break an enforced substitution for Ashton with Joe Evans replacing the unfortunate Paul Townshend, whose return to the first team after a 2 month lay off proved to be short lived. It is hoped that the knock is no more than slight, and that his hard work in the last few months will not suffer to great a setback.
A re shuffle at half time kept Ashton on the front foot with Formby struggling to gain any real momentum. A great effort from Kynaston, whose angled shot struck the inside of the post and rebounded back into the welcoming arms of the Formby keeper with 3 Ashton players ready to pounce onto the loose ball.
After 70 minutes Neil Davies replaced Mike Rhead in the midfield with Rhead having worked his socks off alongside Simon Gallanders. Almost immediately Davies almost put his new side ahead as a great cross from the left reached him on the edge of the six yard box but his powerful header went inches over the bar.
As the full time approached Ashton were pushing for the winner and a long throw by Steve Rothwell was helped on at the near post by Lee Edmunds. In a crowded penalty box Davies was first to the ball and drove it through a crowd of players into the net to give his side a deserved three points.
A hard working performance by Ashton that brought its just rewards and consolidated the Club's 12th place league position. Next Saturday a short trip to Atherton Laburnum Rovers is on the cards, in a 3pm ko
The Ashton Reserve team also consolidated its League place with an away draw at AFC Liverpool as a Paul Hynes strike cancelled out a home side penalty. This takes the team's unbeaten run to 6 games on the bounce a sequence that has lifted them up to 6th position in the Division. Next week the Reserves travel up to Clone FC for a 1st round League cup tie.
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