ASHTON UNITED 0, CURZON ASHTON 0
(Ashton United won 5-4 on penalties)
Reigning holders Ashton United moved into the second round of the Manchester Premier Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout victory which followed a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Tom Warren fired home the winner with the Robins’ eighth penalty after a series of misses.
The Nash’s Craig Hobson had the chance to win it but failed to convert as happened with Ben Hardcastle for United before Warren settled matters.
Niall Battersby was back in defence for the Robins, but manager Michael Clegg named a strong side for the hosts.
Curzon manager Adam Lakeland named a much-changed line-up to the side that suffered defeat at Bradford, the bottom club in National League North.
George Waring, Craig Hobson and Jordan Richards were all handed starts and a number of youth players and trialists also lined up for The Nash, alongside Connor Dimaio and Josh Ollerenshaw who was in goal.
It took Curzon only six minutes to move ahead as a decent move led to Jordan Richards’ cross being knocked back by Mitchell Pickersley for youngster Dillon Edmondson to provide a neat finish into the roof of the net.
Hardcastle then saw a fierce attempt blocked with the Robins’ first goal attempt of the game,
Richards’ free kick saw Pickersley denied by Greg Hartley before Edmondson was sent tumbling 28 yards out with Demaio putting the free kick past the right-hand post.
Centre forward Lorenzo Spinelli was next to threaten as he forced Ollerenshaw into a low save from Cole Lonsdale’s free kick.
Ollerenshaw then made a top save to keep out a header from Niall Battersby.
Just before the hour the Robins equalised as Lonsdale won a free kick on the left-hand side and he delivered it to the back post where it was slid home from a tight angle by Matty Regan.
With the tempo increasing, a neat turn by Spinelli saw him shoot straight at Ollerenshaw who was again to the fore as he denied Brewster after Phenix’s cross had been cleared to him.
Phenix then tricked his way into the area and was blocked by Richards before Lonsdale’s corner was dropped by Ollerenshaw with Harry Coates helping the ball into the side netting.
Callum Saunders then hammered a great chance over as a free kick dropped to him while Curzon substitute Bailey McCallion forced a save from Hartley.
At the other end, the home side could still have settled the matter as great work by Hardcastle saw his cross reach Spinelli whose shot was blocked, and Regan’s header from a free kick needed Ollerenshaw to deny Phenix from point-blank range as the 90 minutes ended in stalemate.
Ashton United: Hartley, Warren, Regan, Sheridan (Brewster 15), Coates, Battersby (Phenix 62), Harrop (Hough 43), Hardcastle, Spinelli, Saunders, Lonsdale. Subs (not used): Taylor, Robbins.
- Next up for Curzon is an away FA Cup, fourth qualifying round tie against Peterborough Sports on Saturday when the Robins are at home to Stalybridge Celtic in the league.
Report: David Robinson and Rhys Jones