Photos by Jonathan White
Ritchie Sutton claimed ‘the game was done at half time’ but ‘in the second half, we showed what we are capable of’ as Ashton United held on to claim a hard-fought 2-1 win away at Nantwich Town at the Swansway Stadium.
It took the visitors just 50 seconds to take the lead. A corner to the back post was met with a towering header from Sam Baird, and it was buried into the top corner (pictured below).
Aidan Roxburgh would have doubled the lead were it not for a great sprawling save by Tom Booth for Nantwich.
Shaun Miller and Jack Sherratt both shot on target as the Dabbers tried to hit back, but it was largely one-way traffic due to countless misplaced Nantwich passes.
Recent signing for the Robins Darius Osei made it 2 just before the half hour, a goal Sutton described as ‘sloppy’. Winning the ball high up, he drove into the box and curled past Booth expertly into the far corner.
Osei forced Booth into action twice more with a shot from a narrow angle and a defence splitting pass that saw him in behind, as the game threatened to run away from the Dabbers.
Nantwich came out for the second half a different side, pressing and attacking with renewed purpose, and we were rewarded for this soon after, Sutton saying ‘we changed the shape and the system and threw a few more bodies forward.’
Substitute Ivan Urvantev, a sub for Jack Sherratt on 33 minutes that Sutton confirmed was ‘tactical’, fired in his first goal for Nantwich on the rebound (pictured below) after a great save from Hartley had denied Matt Bell. That got the crowd energised and seemed to push the team on further again.
Dan Cockerline’s strike soon after was spilled by Hartley but he gathered on the second attempt as green shirts charged towards it.
Callum Saunders nearly restored the 2 goal lead with a good low effort that just missed the far post, but the Dabbers pressure continued.
Debutant Myima Malumo saw an effort cleared off the line late on (pictured below), and Cockerline was twice denied, once by a great sliding challenge, and the other a leaping defender putting him off as he tried to head towards goal.
The Dabbers will look to carry that second half momentum in to the Cheshire Senior Cup tie away at Cheadle Heath Nomads on Tuesday night.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Tom Booth, Harry Nevin, Sean Lawton, Perry Bircumshaw, Jon Moran (Chris Sang, 74), Tom Scully, Jack Sherratt (Ivan Urvantev, 33) Matt Bell (C), Dan Cockerline, Shaun Miller (Mwiya Malumo, 46), Byron Harrison
Subs not used: Kobe McWilliams, Levy Chiduka
Goal: Urvantev (55)
Ashton United: Greg Hartley, Aidan Roxburgh, Cole Lonsdale (Max Harrop, 74), Sam Baird, Matty Regan, Ben Hough (Harry Coates, 90), Ben Hardcastle, Joe Robbins, Darius Osei, Callum Saunders (Michael Phenix, 70), Tom Warren
Subs not used: Niall Battersby, Jordan Scanlon
Goals: Baird (1), Osei (23)
Attendance: 266