Robins spot on in second half

NPL Premier Division: Ashton United 3-0 Mickleover

Two second half penalties helped the hosts to an ultimately comfortable win following a first period which could only be described as dire. With Jordan Simpson making his debut for the hosts the heavy pitch certainly contributed to a dearth of meaningful action before the break with Ben Hardcastle firing a couple of efforts off target for the home side and Sam Sheridan stopping Javahn Davidson-Miller in the area after a good run by Rhys Dolan. A booking for Augustien lead to Sheridan’s free kick being fisted away with Will Hall’s effort blocked in the follow up. 

Sheridan himself then half volleyed a decent effort wide on 53 minutes from Harry Spratt’s pullback and 2 minutes later Hardcastle sent a left foot effort swinging narrowly wide of the far post after Florian Yonsian had controlled Sheridan’s ball. 

At the other end Davidson-Miller just failed to collect Beavon’s neat through ball and Osebi Abadaki robbed a defender but saw his cross fall just behind Yonsian and Hartley needed to be out of his goal smartly to deny Davidson-Miller as he pursued a ball into the area. 

The breakthrough arrived just past the midway point as good work down the left wing by Abadaki saw Liam Tomsett head Hardcastle’s cross home from close range and 5 minutes later keeper Tom Smith was penalised for bringing down Yonsian as he latched onto Hardcastle’s pass – the centre forward converting well from the spot following 4 successive misses by different players in recent games. 

Yonsian was then able to make the points safe as he put the ball into the same side of the goal after William Radcliffe had fouled Tomsett in the area as he arrived on to Harvey Macadam’s pass. Radcliffe himself had come closest for the visitors clipping the crossbar from 30 yards out with a left foot effort. 

Team: Hartley, Sheridan (Tserpes 75), Spratt, Simpson, Coates, Hall, Macadam, Tomsett, Yonsian, Hardcastle (Bentham 82), Abadaki (Jenkins 87). SNU: Martin, Bianga.