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Match Report: Ashton Athletic 2 Worksop Town 2 (Ashton Athletic win 4-1 on penalties)

Match Report: Ashton Athletic 2 Worksop Town 2 (Ashton Athletic win 4-1 on penalties)

Peter Barton25 Aug 2016 - 17:36
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https://www.ashtonathletic.co.

Yellows through to the next round after shootout win

Ashton Athletic hosted Worksop Town in the Preliminary Round replay after the 2 sides fought out a 2-2 draw at Sandy lane on 21/8/16. The Yellows saw the welcome return of a few players who were unavailable for the first tie. Chris Webster replaced Ross Shepherd, who picked up an injury on Sunday, and Paul Watson and Isaac Kusaloka started on the bench. The match also saw the return of the management trio of Jay, Dougie and Ben to the dugout.
Worksop Town also made some changes from the team who played on Sunday. Michael Fereday replaced Jordan Hodder at right back, Scott Wesley replaced Mitch Husbands and Adam Somes replaced Adam Scott.
The match couldn’t have started worse for the home side. A defensive slip saw the Worksop attack get in behind the Ashton defence and the ball was crossed to Steve Woolley, who fired into the top corner of the goal. The Yellows could have levelled the match 2 minutes later when an Ashton corner was hit into the Worksop box and Luke Holden rose the head the ball just wide.
The Yellows did manage to find the equaliser in the 7th minute. The ball was played into Joel Brownhill and he laid it off to Adam Gilchrist whose shot beat the keeper just inside his left hand post. Ashton had chances to take the lead with 3 good chances in in succession. Luke Holden headed the ball down but the follow up shot was fired just wide, then 2 great crosses were put into the box but no one could get on the end of either cross. Martin Pearson punching away a dangerous Worksop corner between both chances.
Worksop then got a foothold into the game and put pressure on the Ashton defence. Steve Woolley played the ball to Kyle Jordan at the edge of the Ashton area but his shot couldn’t beat Luke Holden. Then the ball was passed through to Adam Somes on the edge of the box but his shot was straight at Martin Pearson in the Ashton goal. With all the pressure the Tigers were putting on the Aston defence, they could not find a way through and after a spell of 20 minutes mostly in their own half, the Yellows started to get back in the game but did not trouble Jon Kennedy in the Worksop goal, the closest being a Danny Smith header over the bar from a Danny Regan cross. On 43 minutes, Kyle Jordan had a great opportunity to give the Tigers a half time lead. He received the ball in acres of space with no one anywhere near him but his shot missed the target, flying past Pearson’s right hand post.

Half Time: Ashton Athletic 1 Worksop Town 1

The second half started as bad as the first. After Jon Kennedy cut out a Danny Regan cross, the Tigers attacked and the ball ricocheted to Kyle Jordan and he put the ball past a stretching Martin Pearson to give Worksop a 2-1 lead. Worksop were threatening to take control of the game and could have extended their lead. A cross from the left found Kyle Jordan once again free in the Ashton box, but he couldn’t get his header on target and the ball went over the bar.
The moment that turned the match on its head happened in the 58th minute. Luke Holden damaged his ankle after jumping to challenge a high ball and was stretchered off and Paul Watson came on to replace him, with Sam Bailey dropping back into defence. From then on Ashton started playing the ball along the ground and through the midfield and started to put pressure on the Worksop defence with wave after wave of attack. Danny Smith fired a 30-yard free kick over the bar before Paul Watson almost levelling the game with a 25-yard strike that hit the post. Sam Bailey had a good chance with a free kick after Richard Adams fouled Danny Regan, but he shot over the bar.
Tempers flared on the 77th minute when Jon Kennedy slid to collect the ball but Danny Smith challenged for the ball, catching the Worksop keeper on the hand. With the clock running down, the Worksop defence was handling everything that was being thrown at the by the Ashton attack. Adam Howard and Joel Brownhill having a lot of joy down the left hand side of the pitch but the final ball just not hitting the target until in the 6th minute of injury time, a long ball from the left bounced over everyone and fell to Danny Regan who powered his shot past the keeper to send the game into extra time.

Full Time: Ashton Athletic 2 Worksop Town 2

Extra Time

Ashton’s poor start to a half continues as the Tigers, once again, had the first chance with Alex Nightingale shooting wide. Then the Yellows started to take control again, but they were unable to find that final pass to trouble the Worksop keeper.
In the 10th minute of extra time Worksop had the ball in the back of the net. A long ball was hit towards the edge of the box but the Ashton keeper couldn’t clear it. Alex Nightingale had the chance to put the Tigers in front but he passed to an on rushing team mate who put the ball into the empty net. The Worksop cheers turned into disbelief when the goal was ruled out for offside and the Yellows relieved to survive the defensive lapse. The Yellows finished the first period of extra time strongly and the final chance of the half fell to Isaac Kusaloka, whose shot hit the post and went wide.

Extra Time Half Time: Ashton Athletic 2 Worksop Town 2

Worksop started the 2nd half of extra time strongly and had the first 2 chances of the half, but both shots were fired straight at Martin Pearson in the Ashton goal. Once again, Ashton had good possession and good chances but they couldn’t find a way past the Worksop defence. Worksop had a good chance but the shot towards goal was cleared off the line. More excellent Worksop defending stopped a Danny Regan charge into the box as a last ditch tackle stopped his progress. Isaac Kusaloka had the last shot of the game but that went harmlessly wide.

Extra Time Full Time: Ashton Athletic 2 Worksop Town 2

Penalties

AshtonDanny Regan scores1-0
WorksopSteve Woolley saved 1-0
AshtonDanny Smith scores2-0
WorksopAlex Nightingale scores2-1
AshtonJoel Brownhill Scores3-1
WorksopKieran Fenton saved3-1
AshtonSam Bailey scores4-1

Full Time: Ashton Athletic 2 Worksop Town 2 (Ashton Athletic win 4-1 on penalties)

Further reading