Ashton United v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

A goal with virtually the last kick of the game cost Stafford Rangers victory at Ashton United.

The Boro looked to have withstood a late push from the home side but Ashton captain Harry Coates had other ideas and fired in the equaliser following a 95th minute corner.

Seconds earlier, Ashton sub Jack Kenny had headed against the bar.

Rangers were missing Joe Kenton through injury – his place was taken by Alex Kiwomya- while Ntumba Massanka came in for John Atherton from the XI that started Saturday’s defeat at Morpeth.

The home side had the better of the opening 15 minutes without doing anything to threaten the Stafford goal.

After weathering the early pressure, it was Rangers who struck first on 18 minutes when Kaiman Anderson stabbed home the rebound after Gregory Hartley had blocked Ethan Stewart’s header following a Jack Baxter corner.

Once ahead, Rangers looked the better side with Tom Tonks twice denied on the edge of the area.

At the other end, Ashton missed out when Coates and Callum Saunders both went for the ball and only combined to head it wide.

Rangers held on to their lead into the half time break but only thanks to Cam Belford’s 43rd minute penalty save.

Matty Regan stepped up after Stewart had brought down Saunders but Belford guessed right to make the save. Ashton’s new signing Darius Osei put the rebound into the side netting.

Baxter blazed one over early in the second half while penalty appeals were turned down when Anderson went down under a challenge from Sam Baird.

A double substitution from the home side brought additional height to the home attack but it was Rangers who almost added to the scoring when Tonks slid in with a half volley.

Stafford’s central defensive pairing of Stewart and Derek Ubah kept their side in front as the former blocked a shot from Joe Robbins and the latter got in a foot to deny Osei.

Stafford had chances to double the lead but couldn’t find the important second goal.

It looked like they had done enough as the clock reached the fourth minute of added time and Kenny’s header came back off the bar but Ashton won a corner and Coates took full advantage.

Ashton: 1 Gregory Hartley, 2 Niall Battersby (12 Michael Phenix 57m), 3 Matty Regan, 4 Sam Baird, 5 Harry Coates, 6 George Milner, 7 Ben Hardcastle, 8 Ben Hough, 9 Darius Osei, 10 Callum Saunders (14 Jack Kenny 57m), 11 Joe Robbins (17 Jordan Scanlon 73m). Unused Subs: 13 Luke Taylor, 16 Cole Lonsdale.

Stafford: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Joe Dunne, 4 Jack Baxter, 5 Ethan Stewart, 6 Derek Ubah, 7 Alex Kiwomya, 8 Tom Tonks, 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Alex-Ray Harvey, 11 Ntumba Massanka. Unused subs 12 John Atherton, 14 Darius Smith, 15 Joe Willis, 16 Luis Morrison-Derbyshire, 17 Jaiden White

Referee: Jack Neild

Cautions: Regan, Baird, Hough, Kenny (Ashton), Anderson (Rangers)

Att : 247

Report by Chris Elsley