Sesay on song as Swans hit back

STAPENHILL 4 ASHBY IVANHOE 2

STAPENHILL fought back from two goals down to claim a 4-2 home win against Ashby Ivanhoe in Midland Division One.

Chris Acott’s brace put the visitors in the driving seat but second-half goals from Hayden Brown, Ashley Garner, Connor Richins and Santi Sesay meant the Swans completed the double over Ashby.

Ashby started well and Ross Mcgarry’s fine cross was met by Acott but he couldn’t beat Swans keeper Paul Hollis, who made a fine save.

Then, a raking crossfield ball from Will Robson caused confusion in the Swans defence before eventually being cleared.

Stung into action, the Swans hit back and a testing cross from Ben Gough was headed against the bar by Zaki Evans.

Jack Henchcliffe then sent Ashley Garner clear but the midfielder fired wide before visiting keeper Hayden Griffiths tipped a goalbound Richins effort around the post.

But the Swans fell behind when Jack Hession found Acott just outside the penalty area and the striker worked his way across the box before firing into the bottom corner.

A minute before the break, Acott broke clear again, only to be denied by Hollis.

It was 2-0 to Ashby in the 51st minute when Acott chased down a long ball and beat Hollis with a low cross-shot.

Two minutes later, Brown reduced the deficit on his debut when he swept home a corner from Evans.

The Swans were in full cry now and man of the match Sesay worked his way along the bye-line before finding Garner, who levelled.

Ashby were starting to panic and defender Jake Conkay was sent off for a foul on Richins in the box. The midfielder buried the resulting penalty for a 3-2 lead.

Seven minutes from the end, Sesay, in his last game for the Swans before returning to Sierra Leone, jinked through the Ashby defence before calmly rounding the keeper and sliding the ball home.