UNITED BID BY WATERS’ IS SUNK WINNER!
ASHTON UNITED’S lingering play-off hopes were finally extinguished at Hurst Cross as the visitors secured their own place with a deserved victory.
James Caton was given a start on the left side of midfield for the hosts as they began with a lone forward but it took just seven minutes for the opening goal to arrive as Jack Bainbridge moved on to Finlay Sinclair-Smith’s return ball and advanced before poking a finish past Paul Cooper.
Four minutes later and the home side drew level in the most bizarre of circumstances. Keeper Cooper launched a long kick from hand which bounced off the dry surface meaning opposite number Bobby Jones could only palm the ball down from his goal line.
That left Warren Clarke with a simple tap in. Harvey Gregson then volleyed Matty Waters’ pass over the top for the visitors following a right-wing move and Cooper was forced into a good save with his foot as Sinclair-Smith’s header connected with Bobby Grant’s cross.
Five minutes from the break Kielen Adams’ flick sent the ball just wide of the far post from Brad
Abbott’s pass and Gregson hit a weak effort straight at the keeper from Sol Solomon’s knockdown.
Five minutes after the break Bainbridge’s header went wide of goal from Sinclair-Smith’s deep cross but on 55 minutes the visitors regained the advantage as Waters finished a rebound easily after Cooper had denied Grant’s left foot effort resulting from Solomon’s pass.
Waters then guided a left foot effort over after Sinclair-Smith’s shot had been blocked by Sam Baird and Adams just failed to connect with Luke Burke’s right foot delivery.
With 15 minutes left the victory was made safe as Freddie Sass’s throw-in forced Cooper to concede a corner which saw Solomon’s delivery allowed to go straight into the goal. Solomon’s cross in the area then saw a clever overhead by Grant just too high and a 25yard missile from sub Louis White forced a tip over out of the Ashton keeper.