Ashton Town 1 AFC Blackpool 2: Double delight for Radcliffe on debut

Jacob Gregory and Ryan McLean also made their first starts, while 17-year- old Kyle White stepped up from the Under-18s.

AFC looked confident at the start of the game with an early spell of possession but couldn’t carve out any chances.

A corner after five minutes from Adam Sumner looked for the head of Kyle Higham but an Ashton man cleared.

Ten minutes in and the hosts had a great chance. A cross from the right flew right across the face of goal with nobody to turn it in.

Blackpool grew into the game as chances for White, Gregory and Ben Roberts all saw AFC going closer before eventually opening the scoring.

That goal came in the 25th minute thanks as Radcliffe, who had not been playing in his usual position but rose highest to head in Lewis Simmons’ cross.

That goal spurred an already confident-looking Mechanics to search for another. And Martin Baird’s side got what they wanted in the 32nd minute.

Not known for his goalscoring ability, Radcliffe picked up the ball when Sumner’s free-kick was headed out to the edge of the box and fired his second of the game low into the bottom corner.

The second half was scrappier as Ashton looked for a way back into the game from two goals down.

Dan Hall saved a follow-up effort five minutes into the second half after Ashton’s initial shot had been blocked.

Neither team could really take control as the game wore on, though AFC were still working hard to protect the two-goal lead.

Mechs were forced into a double change just after the hour mark, when goalscorer Radcliffe went off with cramp and defender Fran Donaghy fell awkwardly.

The changes didn’t affect AFC too much as they kept their shape and discipline.

The hosts went close late on with a shot over the top but they did pull one back in stoppage-time.

A corner reached Rustam Stepans, who was free at the back-post to fire home with the last kick of the game.

Baird’s men now look forward to three home games in a row, starting on Tuesday when they welcome Holker Old Boys to Blackpool.

Blackpool: Hall, Simmons, Donaghy, Higham, McLean, Radcliffe, White, Sumner, Gregory, Roberts, McKenna. Subs: Pickering, Duffield, Buchan, Wilson, Morris.

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