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Ashton 23 Trafford MV 20

8/10/2008

ASHTON made it five straight wins from their first five games on Saturday, but Trafford MV probably went away disappointed as the home side stole an action-packed game just four minutes from time.

In spite of Trafford’s overall territorial dominance early on, and Dale Roberts spending time in the sinbin, the home defence looked good and it looked like the interval would be reached with no points on the board.

Then on 36 minutes, a high tackle brought a successful MV penalty, and in spite of Roberts’ immediate return to action, a break from a scrum on half way then saw the visitors make inroads along the touchline.

The ball was switched inside to a supporting player who went in under the sticks for a converted try.

After Farrell’s early second-half penalty, Ashton were now looking to make inroads into their visitors’ lead, but only five more minutes had gone when MV poured forward again.

Ashton claimed a knock-on ahead of the next score, but the try stood, and the conversion took the score to 17-6.

Farrell landed another successful long-range penalty, then followed this up by kicking forward from the back of a scrum. Centre Simon Ramsey disrupted the Trafford catcher, and Farrell nipped past to kick on again. This time, the ball ran over the line and Farrell won the race for the touchdown, then calmly added the goal points.

Virtually from the restart, the visitors were penalised for handling on the floor, and he was on target again with a penalty which brought the home side within one point of their opposition.

Not for long though. MV broke forward and Hibbert was judged to have deliberately knocked on in going for the ball. The penalty was kicked and the visitors had a four-point cushion.

It looked as if this would soon be clipped, but Farrell’s penalty hit an upright.

Ashton’s pack then drove up the left touchline in a last ditch effort for a try.

They pounded the visitors’ line without success, before the ball was moved along the backs.

It was all very scrappy, with MV’s constant harassing pushing them away from the line, but when it reached Paul Emery on the right wing, his attempt to kick over the defence saw the referee penalise the visitors for a deliberate knock on, which they saw as a legitimate charge down.

Opinions mattered little though as scrum half Chris Grayson took a quick tap penalty, and the ball was moved quickly left. Four more passes and it reached prop forward Dave Salt who barged over for a try.

Farrell converted, but there was still drama to come.

MV threw everything onto attack in the dying minutes.

Ashton turned possession over, but a misguided kick returned it to the visitors. It had to be won again, and this time thankfully the kick into touch brought an end to an absolute nail-biter.