MICKLEOVER FC 1, ASHTON UNITED 3
Ashton United collected three points from their visit to Derbyshire to consolidate third place in Pitching In Northern Premier League having been denied from a winning position by fog at Mickleover FC on Boxing Day when the match was abandoned.
There were two goals from Darius Osei and one from Jason Gilchrist as the Robins bounced back from Saturday’s loss at Prescot Cables.
Gilchrist was restored to the front line with Dan Cowan coming in at left back and the action opened on the slick plastic surface with Alex Byrne overhitting his initial cross.
Just seven minutes into the action, Luke Burke had plenty of time to pick out Osei with a deep cross resulting in a confident first-time finish from the leading scorer.
Three minutes later, Cowan’s pass released Louis White down the left wing and his cross was finished expertly by Gilchrist to deepen the host’s relegation worries.
Cowan’s square pass then found James Hardy firing too high with the Robins well on top and Osei’s header was then just blocked out at the far post from Byrne’s cross.
The home side’s first shot on target saw Andy Dales testing keeper Jordan Eastham having collected a downward header before Byrne’s first-time delivery saw Hardy just crowded out at the near post. Osei was then similarly denied at the expense of a corner which saw Sean Newton guiding White’s delivery narrowly wide.
The home side opened the second period in much more positive fashion as a great touch by Stuart Beavon saw Cowan across to intercept.
But seven minutes in, Samson Hewett’s ball into Chris O’Grady saw a sharp turn followed by a fine left-foot finish into the top corner and shortly afterwards his near post effort forced Eastham into a low save.
Kwaku Donkor’s cross was then just scraped away in front of O’Grady before a scramble in midfield saw Ashton substitute Donald Chimalilo burst clear before touching the ball too close to Yusuf Mersin. The Robins managed to scramble a corner away before a second delivery saw Danny Benson hit the side netting and Donkor forced a tip over with Mickleover threatening the equaliser.
Midway through the half the visitors were back in control as Burke sent Byrne down the right wing and having beaten his man saw his cross helped home by Osei to take the sting out of the game.
Ryan Wilson then saw his 30-yard effort palmed away before Burke sprinted onto Byrne’s pass and saw Mersin’s clearance lay him out with the ball deflecting out for a goal kick.
Ashton United: Eastham, Cowan, White, Newton, Burke, Baird, Byrne, Gilchrist (Rose 60), Hardy (Chimalilo 46), Osei, Rowe. Sub (unused): Eastham, Bjork, Denton.
Attendance: 260.
Report: David Robinson.