EUXTON VILLA 2, ASHTON UNITED 3
Ashton United’s second friendly of the new season saw them record a second victory by the odd goal in five at the Jim Fowler Memorial Ground, home to Euxton Villa.
Steady rain greeted the players at the start as the Robins’ starting line-up featured several players from last season as well as one or two new additions.
Ten minutes in and acting captain Alex Byrne put his cross too close to the home keeper before incoming centre forward Marcus Cusani set up Jason Gilchrist who fired straight at the keeper.
Soon after, Byrne’s cross was headed out for a corner and his return delivery was then converted close in by the head of Gilchrist.
Cusani was then confident enough to send a dipping effort just over from 20 yards before his first time cross was just too far ahead of Gilchrist.
Just past the half-way mark Raj Singh-Uppal picked up a loose ball for Euxton and after cutting inside levelled matters up firing home at the near post.
Cusani continued to be influential with a lovely touch setting up new signing Louis Potts who fired straight at the keeper and GIlchrist shot disappointingly wide of the right-hand post after Andreas Bianga’s interception.
Wholesale changes followed at the interval and one of the replacements for the Robins, last season’s leading scorer Keilen Adams capitalised on a mistake in the home defence to fire the visitors back into the lead.
Adams then took an early attempt from distance but put it wide and he then subsequently won possession for a cross from the right wing to be knocked into his own net by a retreating defender.
With five minutes remaining, Euxton’s right back Joey Mullen caught out Ashton’s replacement keeper firing a cross straight into the net and Singh-Uppal could have equalised just missing the far post after a neat turn as Ashton held on for a slender victory.
Report: David Robinson.