ASHTON UNITED 1, FC UNITED 2
Bogey team FC United followed up last season’s league double against Ashton United with a narrow victory at Hurst Cross after a late mistake in the home defence.
Back-to-back losses to Marske United and FC United has seen the Robins slip out of the play-off places in Northern Premier League, premier.
But with only one point separating fourth-placed Marine and Ashton in eighth, the scramble for top-five spots is going to be intense.
A crowd of 1,007 assembled to watch the action on a playing surface which was soft underneath but had stood up well to the recent period of persistent rain.
Luke Burke and club captain Nathan Lowe had added to Ashton’s injury list meaning a full debut for Warren Clarke on the left wing.
After four minutes Max Woodcock stung the palms of Luke Simpson in the home goal having picked up Paul Ennis’s pass.
Jake Charles then dragged his effort wide at the other end after Jason Gilchrist had played him in following an interception. On the quarter hour, James Hardy’s cutback found Clarke progressing into the area from where he sent a left foot effort curling past the far post.
Just past the midway point of the half, Ennis collected a return pass on the edge of the area and forced a tip over and Sean Newton cleared Declan McLoughlin’s overlapping cross just in time in front of the goal.
Ten minutes before the break, Hardy made a great run through midfield but elected to pass to Gilchrist who was offside rather than shoot. Approaching the interval Hardy came even closer as he brought a point blank save out of Pat Boyes, a Fleetwood Town loanee, after Charles’ header had put him clear on goal.
Three minutes after the restart the Rebels moved ahead as Dontai Gabidon outpaced Benny Couto to the by-line and saw his cross reach Crewe loanee Max Woodcock who was left with a tap in.
And the same player could have netted again five minutes later after Gabidon’s cross deflected up for him to put his header against the inside of the post with the rebound landing in the grateful arms of Simpson.
Couto then collected a return ball from his own corner and progressed across the area before firing narrowly wide.
Guy Hall then made a great overlapping cross which saw Jordan Buckley get insufficient contact on McLoughlin’s return ball.
Soon afterwards, Gabidon once again got the better of Couto with his right foot cross beating everyone but with 13 minutes left centre forward Jordan Buckley was dismissed for a second booking having slid into Dan Cowan.
Five minutes later it was Cowan’s right-wing cross which fell to Hardy who drove the equaliser into the roof of the net.
With four minutes left, the Robins were hit by a sucker punch as a quick break saw Couto give possession away to Aaron Bennett who, having also sidestepped Newton, fired the winner into the bottom corner.
Ashton United: Simpson, Cowan, Newton, Couto (Caton 87), Baird, Abbott (Dawson 66), Hardy, Rose, Gilchrist, Charles, Clarke (Cusani 66). Subs (unused): Culkin, Simms.
Attendance: 1,007.
Report: David Robinson.