Ashton United moved up to 12th in the table on Saturday (1 April), after beating Guiseley AFC 2-0 on home soil.

Goals from Jack McKay and Lewis Thompson sealed the win for the home side, who have now won four games on the bounce in the league.

The visitors started the game brightly, earning a free-kick just outside the Ashton United penalty area. From which, winger Benni Smales-Braithwaite came close to giving his side the lead, with his curling effort flying just wide of the left-hand post. Guiseley had another good chance soon after, this time from a corner, with defender Jameel Ible’s header forcing a save from Tom Scott in the United goal.          

It took the home side just over 30 minutes to create a meaningful chance of their own, earning a free-kick 25 yards from goal, just left of centre. Set-piece specialist Nathan Lowe stepped up, and was agonisingly close to opening the scoring, with his dipping effort shaving the top of the crossbar.

Moments later, Lowe was involved again, whipping an inswinging corner towards that back post that was met by forward Jason Gilchrist, who headed that ball back across goal, arriving late was Jack McKay, who volleyed the ball beyond the Guiseley goalkeeper to give Ashton the lead. The hosts went into the break one goal to the good.

Much like the first half, the away side started the second half very well, creating a chance in the opening minutes, with Smales-Braithwaite skipping past his man and unleashing a powerful driven effort, which was turned behind wonderfully by the outstretched leg of Tom Scott in the United goal. Soon after came another chance for Guiseley, with defender Leigh Whelan failing to hit the target with a free header from a corner. A golden opportunity spurned.

Just after, the travelling side were made to pay for their missed opportunities, and Ashton United scored a second, when a poor clearance from Guiseley captain Courtney Meppen-Walters fell to Jack McKay on the edge of the penalty area, with his first-time volley cannoning back off the woodwork, Lewis Thompson followed in the rebound and was there to tap the ball home at the back post.

Things almost got even worse for Guiseley just after the hour mark, when Cole Lonsdale’s deflected free-kick fell to the feet of Jason Gilchrist in the penalty area, who poked the ball beyond the onrushing goalkeeper, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. A real let-off for the visitors.

Ashton United were not happy with just a two-goal cushion and continued to put pressure on the Guiseley defence. Forward Jack McKay, who already had one goal to his name in the match, almost got his second, latching onto a wonderful cross from the right-hand side, however he was unable to find the target with his effort and hit the woodwork for the second time.

With around 20 minutes to go, Guiseley were not giving up hope and almost pulled a goal back, after a long ball from goalkeeper Morgan Bacon fell to substitute Scott Bakkor in the Ashton penalty area, who brought the ball down well and volleyed the ball towards goal, forcing a fine save from Tom Scott, who got down quickly to his left. The United goalkeeper was in action moments later when he parried away a shot from Guiseley’s Smales-Braithwaite, which fell into the path of Jameel Ible inside the six-yard box, with the whole of the goal to aim at, the defender was unable to find the target, rifling the ball into the side netting.

Five minutes from time, Guiseley’s misery was compounded, when they were reduced to ten men after Smales-Braithwaite was sent off for a cynical challenge on Cole Lonsdale, who was in on goal. A disappointing end to what was a bad day at the office for the away side.

A second loss in a row for Guiseley means they slip down to 10th in the table, with a game against Stalybridge Celtic to come on Saturday (8 April). As for Ashton United, a fourth win on the bounce for them means they move up to 12th in the table, and will be looking for their fifth win in a row on Saturday (8 April) when they travel to 3rd placed Warrington Town.

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