WHITBY TOWN 2, ASHTON UNITED 0
Ashton United were punished for an awful start at Whitby Town where they conceded both goals in the opening 10 minutes.
Whitby comfortably completed a league double over the depleted Robins at the Towbar Express Stadium.
Ashton were down to the bare bones following their heroic effort in the Manchester Premier Cup final earlier in the week when they beat Hyde United as they handed full league debuts to Jack Donlan, deputising for suspended centre back Ekow Coker, and Parabou Jenkins in midfield.
The hosts boasted the league’s leading scorer in ex-Ashton striker Jacob Hazel, and it was they who got off to a flyer after three minutes.
Harry Green’s fine pass spread the play out to Josh MacDonald and he burst into the area where Donlan was adjudged to have fouled him, Green converting easily from the spot.
Four minutes later Lewis Hawkins shot was blocked just outside the area but after a scramble the ball fell back to him to sweep home the second past goalkeeper Greg Hartley.
Ben Hardcastle could have pulled one back almost immediately as a rebound from Florian Yonsian fell to him, but Bland was able to make the block.
Jack Redshaw was also denied close in by the keeper as he latched on to Liam Tomsett’s fine cross. Hardcastle then won a corner which ended with Yonsian’s header landing on the roof of the net from Donlan’s assist.
Five minutes after the resumption and a long ball saw Redshaw’s lay off fired wide by Hardcastle while at the opposite end a neat flick by Malik Dijksteel saw MacDonald fire straight at Hartley from an angle.
Redshaw’s curling effort then won a corner with Michael Raynes’ header cleared off the line by Priestley Griffiths. Tomsett had a shot well blocked by Jassem Sukar and a corner at the other end saw Daniel Rowe’s header needing to be tipped over by Hartley.
Substitute Marcus Giles could have added to the scoreline as he raced on to a through ball only to be denied as he tried to round Hartley.
Ashton United: Hartley, Spratt, Lonsdale (Bentham 78), Baird, Raynes, Donlan, Tomsett (Hunt 84), Jenkins, Yonsian, Redshaw, Hardcastle. Subs (not used): Sheridan, Ntula, Taylor.
Report: David Robinson.