RUSHALL OLYMPIC 1, ASHTON UNITED 0
Newly relegated Rushall Olympic got the better of Ashton United in a tight encounter at a breezy Dales Lane to move to the top of the Pitching In Northern Premier League, Premier table.
It was the Robins’ first league loss of the campaign as they slipped to sixth place.
Ashton were without Jason Gilchrist so handed a full debut to Mikey O’Neill as well as restoring Luca Navarro to the left wing.
The action got underway on the plastic surface with Callum Rowe overhitting a pass into the area intended for Navarro.
A decent move by the Robins then ended with Josh Doherty winning a corner which saw Alex Byrne’s delivery headed into the side netting by Sean Newton while at the other end Carter Lycett cut inside on to his left foot before steering well wide.
Nine minutes before the break, a throw in saw Aaron Bishop recycle the ball only for Anthony Dwyer to slice it well wide and five minutes later Sean Newton won a free kick which saw Byrne’s delivery headed home by captain Luke Burke only for the offside flag to be raised, with Newton subsequently booked.
It took only a minute for the Pics to threaten in the second period as a good move on the edge of the area ended with Dwyer firing narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
And with the Ashton defence again coming under increasing pressure, Sam Unitt’s shot was blocked by Burke with Roddy McGlinchey’s subsequent effort blocked by Doherty before Carter Lycett brought a tumbling save out from keeper Jordan Eastham.
On the hour, a long clearance by Eastham saw O’Neill pick out Navarro whose curling effort came back off the right hand upright with Byrne bringing a decent save out of Ben Cisse from the rebound.
And three minutes later, the home side made the breakthrough as a right-wing corner was forced home close in by McGlinchey with Eastham grounded.
With the game opening up, Byrne’s deflected effort saw Jordaan Brown head clear with Aaron Bishop just failing to find Dwyer on the break and Unitt then forced Eastham into a desperate save with Dwyer being denied close in by Newton.
Four minutes from time, great work saw O’Neill pull the ball back from the byline with substitute Brad Taylor winning the subsequent throw in, the ball falling to centre back Sam Baird who sliced it wide on his left foot and the final action saw Newton’s low effort saved at the foot of the post.
Ashton United: Eastham, Burke, Doherty (Taylor 77), White, Baird, Byrne, Rowe, O’Neill, Osei, Navarro (Denton 72), Newton. Subs (unused): Efunnuga, Tomlinson, Rutherford.
Attendance: 353.
Report: David Robinson.