Stafford Rangers 0 Ashton United 1
Sep 19, 2020

Boro toil in Ashton opener

Stafford Rangers 0 Ashton United 1

This opener was a tight affair. The first minute saw a Rangers attack with Gregory Hartley falling at Joe Cuff’s feet with the keeper receiving 5 minutes of treatment. On 13 minutes Ashton won a free kick on 18 yards and John Pritchard stepped up to curl a perfect shot past Lewis King to give the visitors the lead.

It took 30 minutes for life to creep into the game as attacks became more frequent. An excellent ball down the right channel found Cuff and he volleyed wide, while Sam Coulson’s slip nearly let in Ashton’s Ben Harcastle but he recovered well and Millenic Alli headed straight at King. In injury time Alex Ray Harvey had another effort after picking up a loose ball but his effort was straight at Hartley.

The second half was largely dominated by the hosts but it appeared both luck and sharpness had deserted them. Early on, Joe Kenton worked well down the right and his dangerous cross was lashed wide by Cuff, when well placed. Kenton and the industrious Callum Coyle had further shots blocked, while Alli shot wide for Ashton in a rare foray, after stepping inside and attacking the box. More possession from the hosts followed and as much as they tried, there was no breakthrough as attacks came and went, with numerous crosses not being met or mis-timed shots missing the target. This was not helped when Dan Burns received a straight red card from Mr Wilson, for an apparent elbow on Lewis Walters as he broke. Rangers still pushed on and the final action of the game saw Jamie Sleigh having two efforts blocked, firstly by Hartley, then by defenders.

Rangers – Lewis King, Michael Williams (Josh Williams 70), Cieron Keane, Dan Burns, Samuel Coulson, Alex-Ray Harvey, Callum Coyle, Tom Thorley, Joe Cuff (Reece Jones 87), Mitch Candlin (Jamie Sleigh 63), Joe Kenton

Unused subs – Matt Hill, Joe Morley

Ashton – Gregory Hartley, John Lufudu, John Pritchard, Christopher Rowney, Michael Raynes, Samuel Baird, Michael Brewster, Jake Cottrell, Joshua Wilson (Samuel Sheridan 82), Ben Harcastle, Millenic Alli (Lewis Walters 70)

Unused subs – Tom Bentham, Bradley Lynch, Joel Bembaleta

Referee – Richard Wilson

Attendance 595

Report by Alan Gee

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