ASHTON UNITED 2, BAMBER BRIDGE 2
Ashton United were held to their first home draw of the season in Northern Premier League, premier as they had to twice come back from a goal down to rescue a point in an entertaining encounter against Bamber Bridge at Hurst Cross.
The Robins, who remain third in the table, restored Joe Robbins and James Caton to the midfield.
Ashton got off to a shaky start as five minutes in a right-wing cross was not headed clear allowing Michael Potts to steer his effort inside the post to give the visitors the lead.
Things could have got worse two minutes later as Sam Billington’s free kick came back off the bar with Potts firing the loose ball wide.
Still inside the opening 10 minutes, Caton’s cross from the left wing saw Alex Byrne convert at the near post to bring the home side level.
After a quarter of an hour, Robbins just missed the far post having latched onto Byrne’s clever flick but midway through the half a corner routine led to Harry Benns flighted cross seeing Sam Baird’s clearing header again not having enough distance on it allowing full back Chris Churchman to fire Bridge back in front.
Ten minutes later Billington was played through the middle and should have made it 3-1 before taking too long and being dispossessed with the goal at his mercy.
Bridge could have moved further ahead nine minutes into the second half as Harry Scarborough’s lofted effort bounced down off the crossbar with Luke Simpson beaten and on the hour mark Jack Baxter’s left-foot effort was palmed out by the Ashton keeper.
The visitors were made to pay for their profligacy midway through the half as substitute Keilen Adams put over a left-wing cross which dropped off Luke Burke for centre forward Jason Gilchrist to bring the Robins level again.
The end-to-end action continued as Baxter won a corner which saw Potts cutting into the area before blazing over and Baird then headed Byrne’s long free kick past the far post.
With 12 minutes left, George Milner won the ball and set up fellow substitute Adams who fired wide of the near post and Adams himself was back in the action in added time as he went down in the area under challenge from two defenders with the referee unmoved.
Ashton United: Simpson, Baird, Newton, Couto, Burke, Robbins (Milner 65), Byrne, Rose, Gilchrist, Caton (Adams 66), Cusani. Subs (unused): Cowan, Jebbison, Lowe.
Attendance: 255.
Report: David Robinson.