Ashton Athletic 3 Northwich Vics 1

COMPETITION -North West Counties Premier Division.
DATE - Tuesday 19th November 2019.
VENUE - Brocstedes Park, Ashton in Makerfield

LINE-UP Vics’ -
Reed S, Henry, Kenny, Barski, Doran P, Camozzi (Blackledge 78'), Clarke, Pollard, Dorney , Henderson , Reed J (Greenop 46')
Un-used subs’ - Taberner, Winder, Wilson

Bookings : Camozzi, Pollard

GOALS - Ashton Ath : Bandell 25' 75', Watson 65'
Northwich : Henderson 1'

Vics go to sleep after dream start

Northwich Vics got off to the best possible start in this match when they worked the ball well down the left and fed the ball through to Saul Henderson who slotted the ball past Pearson in the Ashton net, albeit with a slightly lucky deflection from a defender. However this was as good as it got for the Vics as Ashton dominated most of the rest of the match . Ashton went close in the 11th minute, when a free kick was flicked on and just evaded Defreitus-Hansen who was sliding in at the far post. They had another good chance after 20 minutes when a corner was played back in and Cringle had a free header but failed to get the ball on target, should have done better ! It was all Ashton, and after a quick throw in caught Vics unawares, the ball was played across the goal where Chris Bandell somehow managed to sky the ball over from 2 yards out. However just a couple of minutes later, he made up for this miss when he pounced on a mistake in the Vics' defence and slotted the ball into an empty net from 18 yards out. Ashton were now controlling the game, playing the ball around nicely although not really creating any chances, and it wasn't until the 43rd minute that Scott Reed was troubled again when Matty Reid had a snap shot from just within the area. Then in the last minute of the first half, a bizarre incident when Scott Reed dropped the ball just as he was kicking out of his hands at the feet of Matt Reid but he somehow put his shot wide of the post. However, the referee pulled the game back for a foul on Ashton's Reid right on the edge of the area, but the resulting free kick was put well wide.

HALF-TIME : Ashton Ath 1 Vics 1

Vics had a great chance to re-take the lead in the 53rd minute when a long ball reached Saul Henderson who outpaced the defence but his powerful shot could only find the side netting with only the keeper to beat. A minute later, dithering in the Vics' defence led to the ball falling to Bandell in the box who had a free shot but he pulled the ball wide of the left post. He should have made Vics pay for the mistake ! In the 63rd minute a great ball found Ashton's Bandell in space on the right, the ball was played in and partly cleared by Vics, but only to the onrushing Charlie Munro who crashed a first time shot against the post. Ashton did however take a deserved lead in the 65th minute when Guffog delivered a low cross in from the right which somehow found its way all across to the right boot of Paul Watson who calmly cushioned a shot into the top left corner of the net. A very well-taken goal. A minute later and it was nearly 3, when another long range effort was brilliantly tipped onto the bar and over by Scott Reed in the Vics' net. Vics had a rare chance in the 70th minute to equalise when a great ball in by Pollard found Brandon Barski beat the offside trap. He turned well but his shot was well smothered by the keeper and the was hacked away to safety. Ashton made the game safe in the 75th minute, when a poor ball out of the Vics' defence only found Watson who laid the ball into Chris Bandell who made no mistake from 10 yards out.

FULL-TIME - Ashton Ath 3 Northwich Vics 1