Anchors weigh in at Hurst Cross

Saturday's battle of the 4th and 5th teams saw visitors Stockton close the gap to just one point after a narrow victory at Hurst Cross. 

Sean Newton, making his 100th appearance cleared Baggs’ early cross before Ashton’s injury crisis worsened within the first six minutes as Dan Cowan pulled his hamstring and had to be replaced by Sam Baird and ten minutes in Callum Rowe’s initial pass led to Osei’s shot being deflected before Rowe’s attempt from the rebound was easy for Nathan Harker.

On 12 minutes Harker had to fingertip Alex Byrne’s right wing cross away with Josh Doherty firing home the loose ball with the whistle already blown.

On 25 minutes a long return ball into the Ashton area saw Adam Nicholson’s header come back off the right hand post and shortly afterwards Connor Eastham got lucky as Joshua Scott charged down his clearance with the loose ball being grabbed by the keeper. 

Eastham then spilled Baggs’ cross with Byrne helping out to concede a corner and a decent build up then saw Osei’s layoff fired well over by James Hardy.

Into the second period and Hardy’s interception saw his attempted cross cut out for a corner which ended with Baird’s attempt clearing the bar and Michael Sweet’s cross from the right then saw Scott’s effort deflect wide off Joshua Baggs before Darius Osei headed over close in under pressure after Byrne had squeezed his cross over.

With 18 minutes remaining a left wing cross from Glen Butterworth was glanced home by Baggs to break the deadlock and Doherty saw his left footed effort blocked after Donald Chimalilo pulled the ball back. 

The hosts’ last chance saw Doherty’s floated cross headed wide of the near post by sub Tom Denton.