Weekend football round-up: Tigers and Robins share the derby points

It was honours even in the Tameside derby between Hyde United and Ashton United at Ewen Fields yesterday.

Tigers' midfielder Ben Kershaw forced former Hyde keeper Jordan Eastham into a terrific point blank save in the early knockings. However, it was the visitors who scored first when another ex-Hyde player Louis White steered home a pinpoint Benny Couto cross on 12 minutes. 

Jason Gilchrist had a golden opportunity to extend Steve Cunningham’s side’s lead moments later, but Lewis Thompson’s pressure was enough to force the striker into fluffing his lines from four yards out. 

Hyde captain Jack Redshaw equalised on 26 minutes, latching onto an incisive through ball from Ayo Quadri – who returned to the starting line-up for the first time since August - before lobbing the onrushing Eastham for his 11th goal of the campaign. 

Ewan Bange was wrestled to the ground in the box in the last action before the break, but the referee blew for half-time, sparking disbelieving protests from the Hyde players. 

Nick Spooner’s team dominated possession in the second half, but Ashton’s defence held firm, restricting the Tigers to a solitary clear-cut chance when Bange’s header called Eastham into a smart stop at the far post. 

“I wanted my players to show how good they are,” said Cunningham. “I think today we shown how good we can be.” 

“When you get beat 7-1 [by Macclesfield in the FA Trophy last week], that hurts. And when you come away from home against your biggest rivals in the league, in front of a great crowd, they’re coming off the back of some great result, you’ve got to show some mettle. 

“I think every single player today did that and more. I thought we were very good and compact.” 

His counterpart at Hyde, Nick Spooner, saw it as two points dropped. 

“Some results feel like a loss, and that does to me. We had the possession, but we didn’t really create chances. We knocked the ball around well, we went and got it back, we rattled like mad, the energy was there. 

“I’m pleased with the performance, but disappointed in the result.” 

The 1-1 draw leaves the sides in 6th and 7th place in the Northern Premier League (NPL) Premier Division. 

In the NPL West, Mossley’s five-game unbeaten run came to an end in Ellesmere Port with a 3-2 defeat at Vauxhall Motors. 

The Lilywhites found themselves two goals down after just seven minutes, but right-back Jack Marrow cut the deficit with his first league goal of the season a minute later. 

Paddy Kay made it 3-1 to the home side just before half-time and closed ranks in the second period.  

Eric Yahaya gave Mossley hopes of a late comeback with a goal in injury time, but Motors saw out the game. 

In the North West Counties League (NWCFL) Premier Division, an inspired performance from goalkeeper Alex Brown on his Glossop North End debut helped hold leaders Ramsbottom United to a goalless draw at Surrey Street. 

Harvey White picked up two yellow cards for the visitors, but despite having the numerical advantage for an hour, Glossop were still forced onto the back foot by a hard-working Rammy side. 

“If someone had said to me before the game, ‘would you have taken a 0-0?’, I’d have taken it," said Hillmen player-boss Richard Brodie. “100 per cent.

“That’s not me being negative. That’s just the fact that they’re unbeaten in 14 games for a reason. They’ve got a manager who's very streetwise at this level. 

“Can we capitalise on [Ramsbottom losing a player]? Yes, we can, but at the same time, what’s happened to us over the past two games where we’ve conceded two late goals to lose, for me, it’s a point gained.” 

It was a positive result for Droylsden, too, in the NWCFL 1st Division North as they won 3-0 on the road at Steeton. 

George Kattah took his total to 8 goals in just 7 games since signing for the Bloods, after opening and closing the scoring.  

His strike partner Nellson Van grabbed the other, while Dave Pace’s miserly defence has now conceded just four goals in the past nine games to cement their place in the Top 5. 

New Mills, meanwhile, dropped out of the play-off spots in the 1st Division South after going down at home to Abbey Hulton United. 

Ashley Woods equalised in the second half for the Millers, but an injury time winner condemned Chris Baguley’s side to their third successive 2-1 league defeat. 

Midweek Fixtures (7:45pm KO unless stated): 

Curzon Ashton v Kidderminster Harriers (National League North, Wednesday 7:45pm) 
Glossop North End v Dronfield Town (Derbyshire Senior Cup) 
Macclesfield v Stalybridge Celtic (Cheshire Senior Cup) 
Nantwich Town v Hyde United (Cheshire Senior Cup)