Saturday 4th April 2009
Vodkat Premier Division
Ashton Athletic 4 Atherton Laburnum Rovers 1Ashton blew away their visitors with a 3 goal blast in a 5 minute spell in the first half to knock the stuffing out of Reebok Stadium bound Atherton Laburnum Rovers. Rovers probably had half an eye on the imminent Goldline Trophy final to be played at the home of Bolton Wanderers on Monday, but strangely it was Ashton that looked the more tentative in the opening exchanges.
The game started with a northerly wind blowing in Ashton’s favour but it was LR that made a dream start and within two minutes were a goal up. Sloppy passing across the Ashton back line ended up with Adam Hallam being dispossessed by Josh Stott just outside the box. Stott threaded the ball to Stephen Edwards who appeared to be in an offside position but without a flag from the linesman Edwards slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead.
On 4 minutes Ashton were endeavouring to recover from the early setback of going a goal down and a headed effort by Richard Sharpe went over the bar. After 16 minutes Athletic could have drawn level as Simon Gallanders cut in from the left to release Mike Douglas through on goal but his attempted lob, although beating keeper Andy Hewitt also cleared the bar.
The first corner of the game was conceded after 18 minutes by Rovers and the cross was met by Jon Bathurst but his shot went wide of the target for a goal kick to LR.
Ashton pressed to get back on equal terms and on 23 minutes won a free kick and from 25 yards out Chris Lawton played the ball to Simon Gallanders wide on the right and his cross was deflected by a Rovers defender into the grateful arms of the Atherton keeper Andy Hewitt.
A minute later a marauding run by Gaz Pet opened up the LR defence and his deep cross was met by Chris Lawton who headed down for Dave Sherlock to shoot powerfully to force another good stop from ex Ashton man Hewitt.
On 28 minutes LR skipper Ross McNair sustained an ankle injury following a foul committed by Neil Davies who had already been spoken to twice by the referee, and Davies received a booking.
In the 32nd minute Ashton put themselves back into the game when Richard Sharpe laid the ball on to Neil Davies and from just outside the 18 yard area he arrowed a shot into the bottom left corner of the net to put the home side on level terms.
A minute later Athletic were again on the score sheet when again Rovers failed to deal with an attack down the left. Another Simon Gallanders cross was helped on by Jon Bathurst and the ball was headed from close range into the top right corner of the visitors net by Dave Sherlock.
Then in the 36th minute Ashton gave LR a mountain to climb when they scored a third goal. The ball was delivered into the penalty area from deep by Mike Burke and was acrobatically flicked over Andy Hewitt into the net by Jon Bathurst.
Two minutes later Atherton, firmly on the back foot after conceding three goals in five minutes, conceded another free kick from the same spot, but the direct shot was placed too near the LR custodian and was easily dealt with by Hewitt.
Half Time Ashton Athletic 3 Atherton L R 1
Ashton maintained momentum early in the second half and 5 minutes after the restart could have sealed the game, as Jon Bathurst shot over the bar from close range after Dave Sherlock pressured Hewitt.
On 52 minutes the visitors were awarded a free kick from which Josh Stott forced Fitzpatrick into a low save. Two minutes later the hard working Bathurst could have bagged his second, but his shot from just outside the LR 18 yard box went wide.
Midway through the second half Ashton conceded a corner on the left and the Jake Patton cross found Ross McNair, but his instinctive close range effort went over the bar.
Then in the 76th minute Ashton rapped up the game, as the LR back four appealed for offside Richard Sharpe played to the whistle and left his markers standing. His effort took a wicked deflection and the ball looped over advancing keeper Andy Hewitt to notch up Ashton’s fourth.
With ten minutes of normal time remaining Atherton striker Phil Howard had an opportunity to bring some respectability to the scoreline, but his shot was blasted over the bar. On 83 minutes Jake Patton hit a powerful shot from the left but his effort drifted into the side netting and the visitors were denied any consolation.
Full Time Ashton Athletic 4 Atherton Laburnum Rovers 1
As Atherton move on to their date at the Reebok stadium, Ashton have a busy week ahead with two midweek home games. The first, in the Wigan Cup on Monday evening Standish St Wilfrids are the visitors to Brocstedes for a Quarter final tie kicking off at 7.15pm, whilst on Tuesday night Silsden AFC from Yorkshire provide the opposition in the League, 7.45pm.
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