Ashton United 2 Squires Gate 0: FA Cup exit as Gate rue missed chances

Jordan Gidley pulls off a point-blank save for Squires Gate at Ashton United

Inspirational Ing scores hat-trick for BBC cameras

Following Squires Gate’s emphatic 5-0 win over Maine Road, a United side who play two levels above Gate in the Northern Premier League premier division proved too much of a hurdle.

The hosts started on the front foot at Hurst Cross, with Gate keeper Jordan Gidley forced into an excellent save from a deflected free-kick after just nine minutes. Gidley then thwarted Ashton skipper Josh Wilson from close range.

Bentham then missed an even better chance for Ashton, firing wide from close range in space in the Gate box.

Gate survived the pressure and went close to an opener themselves on a couple of occasions, James Boyd shooting wide from a tight angle after a superb pass from Cameron Gourley, and Elliot Pond hitting a powerful low drive just wide of the target from the edge of the box.

Gate should have taken the lead through Josh Pollard on 26 minutes. Dean Ing drove powerfully through the Ashton defence and cut the ball back to the unmarked Pollard but the midfielder hit his shot over the bar from close range.

Luke Evans’ men were made to rue their missed opportunities when Brad Lynch put the hosts into the lead on 28 minutes. An excellent ball over the top from Sheridan found Lynch and he lobbed Gidley expertly.

Looking for an instant response, Gate went close on another few occasions as Boyd forced a superb acrobatic save from Hartley in the Ashton net, and Pond fired over from the edge of the box. A corner from Ryan Riley nearly sneaked in at the near post but the hosts survived until half-time with their lead intact.

Ashton started the second period strongly, forcing numerous corners and free-kicks. Gidley was then forced into action again, denying Lynch a second goal with a brilliant stop.

Chances were by this stage few and far between, though Ing did fire over from the edge of the box, while Bentham headed wide for Ashton from close range. Ashton United were able to double their lead on 72 minutes, when a dangerous cross from the right was headed home powerfully by skipper Josh Wilson.

The hosts skied a chance from 10 yards to put the game beyond doubt, and Boyd had a chance to pull one back but was dispossessed just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Pollard fired wide from the edge of the box with five minutes to go and the woodwork denied a well-organised Ashton side a third.

JAMES ASHTON

Gate: Gidley,Gourley,Higham, Baldwin, Holden, Westwood (c), Pollard, Riley, Pond, Ing, Boyd; subs: Dodd, Garrett, Taylor, Staunton-Turner, Johanson, Bramwell