Club announces 40th Anniversary celebration.

We would like to invite current and former Players, Managers and Officials to the
40 years celebration of the formation of Ashton Athletic Football Club.

The event will be held at the Clubhouse on Friday 19^th September 2008 from 7.30 pm.

Queries and Confirmation of attendance ASAP to

Jim Witherington 07780 955396/01744 894376

Casual Dress Artist during the evening

Model performance as Hynes T's up Ford for Ashton Winner

Vodkat Premier Division Saturday 23rd August 2008 Ashton Athletic 3 Bacup Borough 2

A high quality end to end game was topped off by two splendid second half strikes for Ashton that secured the three points for the home side.

Initially however the visitors had started well and took the lead in the 12^th minute when striker Tommy Turner. Ashton fought back immediately and a more committed lunge at the ball in the six yard box by striker Dave Sherlock might have pulled a goal back but instead the ball played in from the right wing slid agonizingly wide.

Ashton were however soon back in the game as a diagonal cross from the left was attacked by wingman Jon Ford. As he was about to head towards goal Bacup’s wing back Matthew Andrew pushed Ford beneath the ball, denying the attacker a clear header at goal. Referee Robinson pointed to the spot without hesitation and Simon Gallanders stepped up and sent keeper Tony Tompos the wrong way to tie the scores after 20 minutes.

Ashton almost took the lead as under pressure Mike Burke powered a header wide from a pin point Tom Potter cross. Then from the next passage of play a mistake in the Ashton back line presented Bacup’s danger man, Tommy Turner with a guilt edge chance as he dispossessed Gavin Heyes and raced through one on one with Brobbin firing his side back into the lead after 29 minutes.

Bacup went close again as Nicky Taylor struck the foot of the post and although the rebound was attacked by Turner his finish was ruled out for off side.

As half time approached a great mazy run from the back by Mark Court was unfortunately not equaled by the finish as his well placed shot shot from the edge of the box was gathered low down by Bacup keeper Tomposs.

The second half proved less fruitful for the visitors as Ashton took control of the game with some committed and energetic play.

Ford(left) and Sherlock strike top form in
second half fightback for Ashton

A stunning shot from a wide area by Dave Sherlock lofted over keeper Tomposs and into the top corner to pull the home side level after 58 minutes. Ashton had several other sights at goal before great work down the left by substitute Paul Hynes produced a deep cross that was met by the head of Jon Ford, two yards out to give Ashton a desreved 71^st minute lead.

Shortly afterwards another Dave Sherlock effort struck the post with Tomposs beaten and although Bacup plugged away as the clock ran down the Ashton back line held firm to claim all three points.

Even a late claim for a penalty failed to bring reward for the visitors as the referee awarded a free kick on the edge of the box with Bacup’s management team complaining that the incident was inside the box. Meanwhile the Ashton players complained that the decision to award a foul was incorrect in the first place. The resulting free kick sailed over the bar and Ashton continued with the good start to the league campaign, with 7 out of 9 available points secured.

The Ashton Reserve Team did not fair quite as well going down 5-3 against Padiham despite a great second half comeback led from the front by Kev Kynaston, chipping in with a superb hat trick, but to no avail as Padiham took the points.

On Tuesday Ashton travel to Alsager Town for the next league match for a 7.45 ko. whilst on nSaturday the Reserves entertain AFC Fylde at Brocstedes Park, kick off at 3pm.

FA Cup exit for lacklustre Athletic

FA Cup Extra Preliminary round
Saturday 16th August 2008
Oldham Town 2 Ashton Athletic 0

Ashton were dumped out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle by a determined Oldham team clearly motivated by the loss to Ashton in the final game of last season that allowed Ashton to leapfrog over them into the third league position and subsequently proved to be a promotion slot into the Vodkat League Premier Division for this season.

Throughout the match Ashton failed to rise to the challenge and defensive hesitation after just 12 minutes allowed Stuart McGill to nip in between two central defenders and the Ashton keeper Andy Paxton and side foot the ball into an empty net.

Several forays down the right wing midway through the half should have brought dividends but hesitation in attack failed to convert the quality crosses from Dave Sherlock.

Then, just before the half time break Ashton went further behind as good movement from Darren Scanlon lost his marker inside the box and he slotted the ball across keeper Paxton into the bottom corner.

The second half got off better for Ashton and the gaps in the home defence started to be exploited. Unfortunately however Ashton were then stopped in their tracks by a serious injury to full back Steve Wallace in the 56th minute, which caused a delay of 55 minutes whilst an ambulance was called and waited for. Despite the lengthy delay to a restart the referee decided against an abandonment and the second half got underway after Wallace have been stretchered off with a dislocated ankle.

Unsurprisingly Ashton found it hard to get going again and failed to regain the momentum that was building up prior to the stoppage in play and Ashton's first venture into Football's Premier cup competition faded away.

The only up side to the days work was news that the injury to Steve Wallace was not as many had feared a broken ankle but the slightly better diagnosis of ligament damage which will hopefully mean a return to action within 4/6 weeks.

Special thanks to Kenny Hopwood, trained Ambulance man and former physio at Oldham who was at the match as a spectator, and who attended to Steve superbly throughout the incident

Formby 0 AAFC 0

Vodkat Premier League Tuesday 12th August 2008

Formby 0 AAFC 0

After the narrow opening Day win at home to Nelson on Saturday Ashton traveled to Formby and secured a valuable away point. Prior to the game this would have seemed like a decent return, however the dismissal of the Formby keeper Lee Gunnion towards the end of the first half for a reckless two footed lung at Ashton's Dave Sherlock should really have resukted in all 3 points being brought back to down the M57 to Brocstedes Park.

Martin Hastings almost broke the deadlock
However a terrific rearguard action by the Formby defence and midfield earned the home side a well deserved point, as Ashton struggled to take advantage of the numerical advantage whilst Formby also threatened with some excellent counter attacking football.
It was only towards the last 15 minutes that chances started to be created, with Dave Sherlock and subsequently substitute Martin Hastings coming closest to breaking the deadlock with a long distance effort threat the replacement keeper did well to turn onto the bar and away to safety.


On Saturday Ashton travel to Oldham Town for the Club's first ever FA Cup tie in a 3pm KO. Meanwhile the reserves get their season underway with a home league match against the newly formed AFC Liverpool.

Ashton Athletic 2 Nelson 1

Saturday 9th August 2008

Vodkat League Premier Division

Ashton Athletic got their new season underway after a number of tough friendlies and Goldline Trophy games, playing their first ever game in the Vodkat Premier division, former Football League club Nelson were the visitors to Brocstedes Park.

Ste Bennett early strike gives Ashton Dream start

It took Ashton only 3 minutes to open the scoring when Steve Bennett broke through the Nelson defence and his accurate lob over the keeper dropped perfectly into the empty net off the underside of the cross bar.

Ashton completely dominated the 1st half but were stunned when Nelson launched a rare attack to score the equaliser after 27 minutes as a cross from the right was met at the near post by striker Heap, this after Ashton failed to clear their lines.

However, they picked themselves up and were rewarded for their efforts when they took the lead 2 minutes before the interval. After some good work by Simon Gallanders, with 3 defenders around him, he managed to squeeze the ball through to Jon Ford who raced towards goal and slammed a low, hard drive into the bottom corner.

Ford scores his first Vodkat League goal for Ashton

Nelson did come into the game more in the second half and the crowd was treated to a good, end to end game.Ashton's best chance fell to Ford whose shot from 12 yards ratled against the upright and away to safety. Ashton were also denied 2 good shouts for a penalty but despite this, there was no further scoring and Ashton took all 3 points to give managers Dave Powell and Steve Pilling a perfect start.

After a midweek trip to Formby on Tuesday night (KO 7.45pm), this Saturday Ashton travel to Oldham Town for their first ever outing in the F.A.Cup kick off 3 p.m.