Robins Hit For Five On Final Day Of The Season

NPL Premier Division: Stafford Rangers 5-0 Ashton United

Ashton’s last league fixture of the season saw them comprehensively outpointed at Marston Road as the hosts dominated almost the whole 90 minutes. The Robins had Luke Taylor debuting in goal in place of the concussed Greg Hartley and the hosts started with a strong breeze at their backs and saw Tonks’ volley go wide after he collected Taylor’s punch out.

Tonks was a threat all afternoon from long throw ins and just before the quarter hour his latest delivery was inadvertently flicked on by Ben Hardcastle allowing Joseph Kenton to head home at the far post. After 20 minutes Dunne strolled onto a loose ball and brought a decent save out of Taylor and 4 minutes later Tonks’ curling cross was helped home close in by centre forward Kaiman Anderson and 3 further minutes passed before Harvey played Pemberton into the clear from where he slid home confidently.

Taylor could have been caught out as Kenton closed down his clearance with the rebound falling to Tonks whose scuffed attempt was then saved and a break at the other end saw Cole Lonsdale’s swinging cross result in a fine save from Belford on Jordan Simpson’s volleyed effort.

Tonks’ next delivery saw O’Neill’s shot go over from the top of the bar and Anderson had a low effort saved from Fletcher’s through ball. Yonsain won a corner for Ashton at the start of the second half which led to Lonsdale’s delivery being headed past the far post by sub Tom Bentham and Sam Sheridan’s long ball into the area saw Bentham volley a clearance too high.

On the hour Tonks was again the provider as his pass into the area was converted by Anderson and after Parabou Jenkins’ acrobatic effort had clipped the bar the scoring was completed as Fletcher curled home a free kick after Hardcastle was adjudged to have fouled Pemberton just outside the area.

Team: Taylor, Spratt, Lonsdale, Coker, Coates (Bentham 40), Baird, Simpson (Jenkins 46), Sheridan (Donlan 72), Yonsian, Redshaw, Hardcastle.  SNU: Hunt, Ntula.