BUXTON 4, ASHTON UNITED 1
National League North side Buxton were comfortable winners in Ashton United’s first friendly of the season after a goal blitz 10 minutes into the second half.
The Bucks scored three times in as many minutes to ensure it was an unhappy return to The Tarmac Silverlands Stadium for Robins’ manager Steve Cunningham.
Former Oldham Athletic striker Darius Osei was among several familiar faces back in the line-up and Ashton made the better start as Callum Leigh fouled Nathan Lowe with the Ashton man bringing a good save out of the trialist keeper with Jack Massey firing the rebound wide.
Sean Newton’s header from a corner was cleared in front of goal and at the other end Diego De Girolamo was crowded out by Sam Baird following a quick throw.
Massey’s sharp turn on to James Hardy’s pass then brought a good low save before Ethan Fitzhugh’s cross saw an attempted bicycle kick miss as heavy rain descended.
Massey then made a good run from his own half beating a defender before slicing wide and Fitzhugh saw a free kick palmed away at the other end and a great run from Osei won a corner which was fired well over by a trialist.
The game sprung into life nine minutes after the break as a long ball broke to Tomlinson who fired home an easy low finish and one minute later Djavan Pedro found space in the area for a confident left foot finish into the roof of the net.
One further minute on another trialist got free down the right wing and his lofted delivery dropped into the far side of the goal.
With five minutes remaining Baird halted Tomlinson’s run into the area with a penalty award not needed as a trialist fired home the loose ball and on 90 minutes Bobby Bjork fired home a consolation from the edge of the area following a short corner routine and the same player then sent in a rangefinder which drifted off target.
Ashton United: O’Keefe, Doherty, Newton, Baird, Burke, Trialist, Lowe, Hardy, Gilchrist, Osei, Massey. Subs: Bjork, Catt and six trialists.
Report: David Robinson.