Ashton-Under-Lyne Rugby Club were left disappointed on Saturday (18 March) as they missed out on promotion on the final day of the season, after losing at home to Burnley.

The match was a straight shootout for promotion, as before the game Ashton and Burnley were third and second in the table respectively, with the winner taking second spot. Only the top two teams in the division gain promotion and so Ashton unfortunately missed out, after finishing third.

Ashton manager John Ward was understandably disappointed with the end result but insisted there are lots of positives to be taken from the way his team performed, “We were incredible today like we have been all season, there were a few decisions that didn’t go our way that could have affected the game and it wasn’t the result we wanted, but I am more than happy with the performance”, said Ward.

Reflecting on the season as a whole, Ward said, “It’s been fantastic, wherever we have played this season, no matter what the conditions, the referee or the opponents have thrown at us, the lads have dealt with, and they’ve always performed for me”.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries this season but we’ve not let it affect us, and if this is the standard I’m working with in my first season at the club, I can’t wait to see what we do next season”, he added.

As much as rugby is a team sport, Ward was keen to single out a number of individuals for praise, for their performances this season, “Matthew Brealey in particular has been an eight out of ten in every game he’s played, he turns up to every training session and is such a consistent performer”. “Also the captain, Tom Robinson, has been unbelievable this season, the way he has led the team has been superb, especially with it being his first season as captain”.

The manager then went on to speak about his plans for next season, “I’m going to give the lads six weeks off, then start pre-season early and get everyone fit, fitter than they probably ever have been here at Ashton, to make sure they’re ready for next season”.

Ward was also keen to stress the importance of recruitment, as the club is constantly on the lookout for new players, “We need to recruit some players as a few of my lads are retiring this year, the door is always open and if players want to join, they can contact the club on social media" (Twitter or Instagram). “Just drop the page a direct message and we will always respond, I’m on the social media pages every day”, said Ward.

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