Weekend football round-up: Rampant Robins wallop Whitby

Ashton United cemented their grip inside the Top 5 of the Northern Premier League (NPL) with a 5-0 demolition of Whitby Town on Saturday.

Steve Cunningham’s starting eleven was unchanged from their last gasp win over league leaders Macclesfield and took just 14 minutes to breach the Seasiders back line. 

Robins captain Luke Burke started a break from inside his own half, finding James Hardy, whose pinpoint pass teed up Louis White to slot past stand-in goalkeeper Henry Popple. 

Hardy and White swapped roles a minute later, with the duo pouncing on a Whitby defensive calamity to make it 2-0. 

The Seasiders struggled to lay a glove on the home side until Jordan Eastham made a comfortable stop just before the break from an ambitious Layton Watts effort. 

White doubled his tally five minutes into the second half, with the man who sunk Macclesfield, Sam Baird, also getting in on the action to make it 4-0 after 59 minutes. 

Jason Gilchrist came off the bench to round of the scoring with his 13th of the campaign and taking Ashton’s run to one defeat in ten games. 

“Fantastic performance considering we’ve come off the back of our cup final,” said Cunningham, who was celebrating his 100th game in charge. “I thought we were outstanding. 

“I remember how it was when we were beaten 7-1 at Macclesfield and it was a horrible feeling. I think they just met us at our very, very best today. That was the best performance of the season so far.” 

It was maximum points for Mossley and Stalybridge Celtic in the NPL West, too, as they both maintained their play-off push. 

Obua Mugalula scored both goals in Mossley’s 2-0 win over Runcorn Linnets, a result that means the Lilywhites have kept eleven clean sheets - the most in the division. 

“Momentum’s important,” said Mossley boss David Fish. “We didn’t build on the Clitheroe game, and we had to hit the ground running today against a very good Runcorn Linnets side. 

“We need to get on another of those winning streaks as we move into the business end of the season, and it means we go into the Witton game next week with a bit of confidence.” 

Stalybridge had a ding-dong battle at relegation candidates Hanley Town. 

The side from the Potteries took the lead on 14 minutes before Benni Smailes-Braithwaite hammered home an equaliser from 30 yards for his 2nd goal in three games since joining at the turn of the year. 

Captain Liam Tongue bashed home a trademark shot from the edge of the box to propel Bridge into the lead right after the break, but his Hanley counterpart Joel Stair levelled the score just before the hour. 

However, Stalybridge had the final say, with Joe Duckworth recovering from injury to tuck the ball beneath Adam Whitehouse with his first touch off the bench to make it 3-2. 

Celtic striker Lewis Rawsthorn said: “I thought first half we weren’t up to what we normally do, where we’re quite high energetic, play decent intensity and get the ball forward quite quick. 

“They were slowing things down, but rightly so. Their threat was coming from set pieces and they scored from two corners. We had a chat about it at half-time, and I thought we were a lot better.” 

It wasn’t all good news, though, as Curzon Ashton slipped to a 1-0 home defeat to Brackley Town, a scoreline that leaves them in 6th place in the National League North table. 

The Nash have games in hand on all the teams above them and can take heart in a performance that didn’t yield the result it deserved. 

Jonny Maxted was in outstanding form in the Brackley goal, denying Stefan Mols, Will Hayhurst and Isaac Sinclair among others. 

“As defeats go, I can’t complain,” said Curzon player-manager Craig Mahon. “I can’t moan about the performance because I thought we were really good. 

“I thought we did everything but score, but that’s football, it’s a ruthless game. 

“Brackley are a great team. They’re always there about the play-offs and have been for years, and that's what we want to be.” 

In the North West Counties League (NWCFL), Glossop North End left it late, but goals in the last ten minutes from Tom Lawless and Lewis Reilly helped them to a 2-2 draw at Colne. 

“There’s been a lot of emotion gone into the game today,” said Hillmen boss, Richard Brodie. “Frustration, excitement, passion. 

“I thought we were the better side. We dominated the ball, they played a back three that ended up being a back five, so the middle of the pitch became really condensed and we had to work the ball wide in order to be effective. And every time we did, we caused a problem. 

“Colne defended for their lives, but when we scored the first goal, the second one felt inevitable.” 

It was a tough afternoon for their High Peak neighbours, New Mills, who couldn’t build on their surprise 3-1 win at NWCFL 1st Division South leaders Stafford Town, going down 2-0 at Foley Meir. 

Midweek fixtures (all Tuesday 7:45pm kick-offs): 

Blyth Spartans v Ashton United (NPL Premier Division) 
Glossop North End v Litherland REMYCA (NWCFL Premier) 
Hyde United v Sandbach United (Cheshire Senior Cup Quarter Final) 
Tranmere Rovers v Stalybridge Celtic (Cheshire Senior Cup Quarter Final – Wednesday 22nd, 7:45pm)