Ashton hold out for victory

AMD First Division: Ashton 29-28 Clitheroe

There were distinct theatrical overtones to Saturday’s game at Gambrel Bank, with moments of farce gifting Clitheroe a 28-19 lead as the action moved into its closing stages, but thankfully there was to be no final tragedy as Ashton managed to get their act together to bring down the curtain with a single point advantage.

They had made a poor start when a visiting player simply burst through the middle to set up a good attacking position and when Ashton were penalised in their bid to stop momentum a simple penalty saw them three points behind. However, they hit back immediately when they won a set scrum on the half way line and good accurate passing saw the ball shipped out quickly to left winger Travis Powell who went in for a try which Tom Costello converted.

Neither side really dominated for the next twenty minutes or so. Then on the half hour, with Clitheroe making steady progress towards the home line they won clean possession at a line out, from which they moved things easily inside to set up a converted try. Once again the home side hit back immediately. With the visitors in possession in their own half, the ball went loose. Ashton’s Joseph Kay was quickly on to it, he flicked it on to prop forward Neil Oldham, who barged forward, taking men out, before a neat backhanded pass put Lewis Woodward in for a try. It looked as if this would mean his team would have the half time lead, but another soft penalty was conceded, which saw them turn round 13-12 in arrears.

The home side were fastest out of the blocks from the restart, and although play was confined to the midfield area for a time, their first real attack saw them make progress towards the opposition line before an excellent kick for the corner from Costello saw the ball chased down by Alex Meredith for a score in the corner, which Costello converted with a towering kick from the touchline.

Ashton had the lead, but they gave themselves no chance to build on it when defensive capability was found sadly wanting as a visiting player romped in from half way. His touchdown put his team just one point behind, and things soon went from bad to worse as the home side looked to move their score along. Progress was being made when a perhaps over ambitious pass was intercepted and Clitheroe raced away for a try under the posts which was easily converted. When this was followed by a successful penalty from directly in front of the posts, it looked as if there would be no way back as time was ticking on.

Yet again though the home side proved their doubters wrong. They took play forward, and after Joe Robinson had burst through more than one tackle, the ball was quickly recycled to put Luke Turner in for a fourth Ashton try. Possession was then retained from the restart, and after some some powerful surges through the centre had taken play up to the opposition’s 22 metre line, Meredith hoisted a kick out towards the left wing. Robinson set off in hot pursuit and just managed to ground the ball in the corner to restore the lead.

There were some nervous moments as Clitheroe kept the home side pinned in their own half for what was left of the game, but this time the defence stood solid and the narrow one point lead was maintained to the end.

By Ian Crickett.