WARRINGTON RYLANDS 2, ASHTON UNITED 0
The clash between Ashton United’s last two managers saw previous custodian Michael Clegg’s Warrington Rylands emerge victorious through two late efforts at Gorsey Lane with former Stalybridge Celtic striker Scott Bakkor scoring one and also providing an assist.
The game hinged on a sending off late in the first half as Robins’ winger Alex Byrne received a second yellow card for dissent having initially been booked for an earlier foul on ex-Ashton left-back Javid Swaby-Neavin.
Manager Steve Cunningham, without Sean Newton, handed a debut up front to loanee Luke Carroll-Burgess with several ex-Ashton players featuring in the starting 16 for the hosts.
An early corner for Rylands saw Ben Hardcastle’s delivery drift right across goal.
Louis Potts then won a free kick just on the right of the penalty area for Ashton with Byrne’s delivery headed clear which saw Brad Abbott pick up a booking for impeding Hardcastle on the break.
Five minutes later and a long clearance saw Potts’ lay-off to Marcus Cusani clawed away by Luke Pilling and a great crossfield pass from Cole Lonsdale then sent Cusani past Swaby-Neavin but his pass found Byrne unable to get his shot away.
Momodou Touray was then denied at the near post before Hardcastle’s latest delivery was cleared by Dan Cowan amid appeals for handball. Just ahead of the break Touray turned well past two defenders on the edge of the area before placing his effort just too high.
Ashton faced an uphill task on the resumption and unsurprisingly the flow of the game was largely towards their goal, but it was midway through the half before the home side really threatened as Touray’s inside pass saw Chinedum Uche’s cross almost turned home by Dean Furman with Simpson scrambling the ball away with the assistance of Cole Lonsdale.
The pressure eventually told with 12 minutes left as substitute Bakkor’s cross was volleyed home at the far post by Hardcastle.
And after Lonsdale had put a free kick way too high at the other end, Uche side-footed straight at Simpson after Touray’s good run but the matter was settled in injury time as a right-wing cross was touched on by Touray for Bakkor to finish confidently.
Ashton United: Simpson, Cowan, Cusani, Lonsdale, Burke, Abbott, Byrne, Milner, Carroll-Burgess, Potts (Gilchrist 76), Dawson (Bianga 70). Subs (not used): Robbins, Thompson, Seol.
Report: David Robinson.