Weekend football round-up: Robins make it back-to-back wins

Ashton United moved up to 7th in the NPL Premier table on Saturday after a 2-1 win at Stockton Town, ending the hosts’ unbeaten home record in the process. 

With 10 minutes on the clock, Darius Osei headed the visitors in front before Josh Scott’s long-range strike restored parity, only for The Robins to regain the lead before the break.  

A mix up between Stockton defender Jamie Bramwell and his goalkeeper gifted debutant Enock Lusiama an open goal to roll the ball into and score the eventual winner. 

“That is a massive, massive win for us,” said a delighted Steve Cunningham at full-time. 

“If we’d have got through the last two games with two points we would’ve took it, but to come away with six points against two of the toughest sides you can face, it just shows what the group’s about. 

“It’s a very well deserved 10 days off now. 

“We’re on our a**** at the minute with injuries and tiredness, these 10 days couldn’t have come at a better time.” 

Elsewhere, Droylsden made it through to the second round of the FA Vase thanks to skipper Liam Moran’s stoppage-time winner at Penistone Church. 

Dave Pace’s side missed a chance to go ahead early on after Caelan Kilheeney put his penalty wide of the post, before the hosts compounded Droylsden’s misery by taking the lead themselves through Mackenzie Stocks. 

The Bloods were then given a boost on the hour when Penistone’s goalkeeper Harry Ambler was shown a straight red card, and it only took them 15 minutes to make their advantage count, with Nellson Van finding a way past midfielder turned makeshift goalkeeper, Jack Cawthorn. 

The visitors dominated from then on, with Penistone holding firm right up until the first minute of injury time when Moran steered in from a corner to send The Bloods into the next round. 

In the National League North, Curzon Ashton were on the wrong end of a five-goal thriller at Macclesfield, as Justin Johnson’s second half stunner saw the hosts steal all three points. 

An enthralling first half saw the sides go in level at 2-2, with all four strikes coming in the opening 24 minutes. 

It was Johnson who opened the scoring on 15 minutes, sweeping into the bottom left corner before Alex Curran fired in against his former club just three minutes later. 

The parity would only last a matter of seconds however, as Danny Whitehead swept in on the turn to regain Macclesfield’s lead, before Charlie Weston curled in from just outside the area to level the scoring once again. 

The Nash had chances to go ahead after the break, with Jimmy Spencer clipping the post before Ben Darby forced a fine save from Max Dearnley, and these chances would go on the be rued. 

With nine minutes to go, Johnson produced the decisive moment, cutting inside from the left and arrowing into the top right corner, giving Callum Hawkins no chance. 

Curzon did have the ball in the net before the end, but Brad Holmes was adjudged to have been in an offside position when he poked home what looked to be a deserved equaliser. 

“In terms of the performance, I can’t really ask for any more,” said Nash boss Mark Bradshaw following the defeat. 

“I’m proud of the way they played, Macclesfield are a very good side, especially here on their own patch. 

“The disappointment is that in the second half, we dealt with what they had, but our chances didn’t go in. 

“We’ve just been done by a bit of individual brilliance today.” 

Meanwhile, in the NPL West, Stalybridge Celtic lost ground in the title race after slipping to a 1-0 defeat at home to Bootle. 

Lewis Earl’s first half strike was enough to see the visitors come away at the victors, taking them level on points with Jon Macken’s side. 

Celtic currently sit 3rd in the table, three points behind leaders Lower Breck, with only two points separating 3rd and 9th position. 

“I’m really disappointed, first half is probably the poorest we’ve played,” said a displeased Jon Macken after the full-time whistle. 

“If we start slow, we tend to be on the back foot for most of the game, and we certainly did that. 

“I don’t think it was a game of real high quality, but they worked a hell of a lot harder than us, and we got done with a set piece.” 

In the NWCFL Premier, Glossop North End came agonisingly close to ending their five-match losing streak, only for hosts Longridge Town to break Hillmen hearts with two stoppage time strikes. 

Unfortunately, the match was paled into insignificance following a horrific injury to Glossop forward Dylan Fitzgerald, who suffered a dislocated ankle and fractures to both his tibia and fibula. 

Despite being a man light after Jack Hopkins was shown a red card for an alleged stamp on Ben Fletcher, GNE managed to take the lead 18 minutes from time after Dylan Switters poked the ball past the goalkeeper with his first touch after coming on. 

It looked as though The Hillmen had done enough to take the points, but Longridge forward Will Procter had other ideas, firing home on the turn to draw his side level in the first minute of injury time before powering in a header two minutes later to complete the turnaround. 

“I simply cannot fault the players,” said GNE boss Richard Brodie following the defeat. 

“Everything you want in a team, we’ve done it in abundance today. 

“At some point this cannot keep happening, the tables have to turn, and it’s not for the want of trying, us as staff, we’re doing everything possible.” 

Finally, Mossley picked up a hard-earned point at promotion chasing Chasetown, making it back-to-back goalless draws. 

“I thought the performance was superb,” said a satisfied Alex Craddock following the draw. 

“We’ve had to deal with a lot this week, obviously George’s injury, and a couple of others that came out of nowhere. 

“So you’re sort of thinking the world’s against you, but then we put in a performance like that. 

“This is a tough place to come, it’s a bit of a fortress, and I thought we gave a really good account of ourselves.”