Ashville Return To Winning Ways

Defenders stole the show in a victorious night for Ashville

Ashville wasted no time at all putting Saturday's defeat against Barnton behind them, with Villa taking the lead after just two minutes.

A corner from the right hand side was headed clear by Winsford but only as far as Tom Hartley, who smashed a beautifully clean half volley back across goal into the top right hand corner leaving the Winsford keeper stranded.

Villa piled on the pressure, penning Winsford deep into their own half. This pressure led to another corner on seven minutes. Hartley almost turned provider with an almost perfect corner that forced the Winsford keeper into a punched clearance. That clearance fell into the path of Joe Dulson on the edge of the area. The youngster tried to replicate Hartley's heroics from five minutes earlier but his half volley went over the bar.

Ashville's dominance continued, this time Peter Morgan was keen to add his name to the scoresheet. His curling effort back across goal only failing to find the back of the net thanks to a last ditch deflection from a Winsford defender which took the ball onto the roof of the net.

Winsford finally had a proper sniff of goal after 25 minutes, a poorly defended corner saw the ball drop 8 yards from goal. Thankfully for Villa the following effort lacked control and was blasted over.

The visitors were keen to find a route back into the game and nearly grabbed an equaliser with a free kick. The ball was played into the area, only half cleared and after some aerial ping pong the ball fell at the feet of the number 10. Stanton trapped the ball, turned and shot but pulled it a little too much and his effort went wide of the goal.

This kicked Villa back into gear and just after the half hour mark the hosts took the wind out of Winsford's sails with the second goal of the game.

Another corner. This time a low, drilled corner into the near post was flicked on by Parrington. His flick was blocked but the ball fell at the feet of Nathan Haynes who poked the ball home from five yards.

Five minutes later and Ashville nearly capitalised from yet another corner. Hartley with as perfect a delivery you can ask for. It only needed the faintest of touches but it never came and the ball bounced just past the far post.

Into the second half we went and it started more of the same. On 58 minutes Tom Davies found himself through on goal, his effort going just wide one on one.

On 65 minutes Winsford nearly scored a goal of the season contender. A free kick straight out of the Alex ( remember him?) textbook. It stung the palms of Dixon who kept out the powerful effort with a good diving save.

Ashville went into game management mode from that point on whilst the visitors pushed hard to get back into the game.

With ten minutes to go though, Parrington was given a chance to wrap the game up. A miscontrol from a Winsford centre-half was pounced on by 'Pagga' but tired legs got the better of the Villa striker and he failed to beat the keeper one on one.

In the first of five added minutes Ashville sealed the game with another moment of brilliance. Left back Connor Courtnell, playing his second game for the club, intercepted a pass forward just inside the Winsford half and marched towards goal. Courtnell rode several challenges on his path to the edge of the area before lashing a brilliant effort into the bottom right hand corner making it a night to remember for the defenders union.

Ashville will take confidence from this victory with a huge game ahead on Saturday when they welcome New Mills to Ray Parker Stadium in the FA Vase. Saturday's opponents were convincingly beaten on Tuesday night which is fuelling hopes of a cup run for Ashville. Witness the momentous occasion in person by purchasing a ticket at ashvillefc.com/tickets