Holker Old Boys 3-2 Ashton Athletic

 

Down watching Holker Old Boys V Ashton Athletic today. First time seeing Holker play and also a first visit to the Handmark Engineering Stadium. Athletic hoping to get back to winning ways after not seeing a win in the league since October whilst Holker still have ambitions for automatic promotion. 

Ashton Athletic made the better start and were ahead inside 2 minutes. Nicholson’s great effort hit the bar but the ball was recycled back into the box for Hill to head home. The rest of the half seen Holker have most of the ball with good passing but not really creating much. Davey was played in a few times and flashed balls across the box but no one was on the end of them. 

Just before the end of the half, Holker’s pressure nearly paid off as a mistake at the back for Ashton saw the ball find its way to Conway 6 yards out but a poor effort was dragged wide. 

The second half seen much of the same with Holker continuing to apply pressure and take the game to Ashton. Ashton’s defence managed to keep them out until a scramble in their box seen substitute McGladdery bundle it home. It seemed to deflate Ashton as Reid scored 2 minutes later from a great ball by Hodgson to give Holker a 2-1 lead. 

Ashton tried to get back in the game but it seemed all their energy was used up whilst they were ahead. Good pressure from Holker on the defence of Ashton seen the ball pop up to substitute Wood to make it 3-1. 

With nothing to lose now, Ashton piled forward and got their rewards with Ujahchuku’s tidy finish after taking on the centre back and finishing well with the last kick of the game to make it 3-2. 

Overall Holker were good for their win to stay in the hunt for promotion. Ashton Athletic stay mid table and although conceded 3, their defence played great for over an hour. 

4/1/2025 NWCN Maghul 0 - 5 Nelson

 Today's game saw me visit Maghull FC for the second time this season, in which is their first season in the North West Counties. An up and down season so far sees them in the bottom half of the table and would be in for a tough game against high flying Nelson. 

In Baltic conditions on a heavy pitch, the first 30mins were pretty even, with Maghull having a couple of half chances. Two Nelson bookings for kicking the ball away were the only other notable incidents.

Just after the half hour mark, Nelson got their first, Holden played through on the left hand side of the box who finished it well. Nelson stepped it up from here and scored twice more before half time through Bolton and Frost. Maghull's keeper unlucky with the second goal after twice making saves before Bolton took it round him and finished into an open net. 

The second half started the same as the first with Maghull making all the early running, clipping the post the best of their chances. Both teams rang the changes but the fresh legs of Nelson finished the game off with a counter attack goal in the 74th min through Doherty. Balled was played down the channel and cut back for him to finish sharply in the bottom corner. The 5th and final goal again game in similar fashion, with Maghull pushing up, a long ball over the top from Nelson set Usman free who chipped the keeper superbly. 

In what was a great performance from Nelson was only shadowed by a straight red from substitute Yates who went in high for a tackle and was dismissed with 5 minutes to go. 

In what seemed like a one sided game, Nelson's fluid forward play made all the difference. The result seen Nelson continue to top the league and Maghull slip a place to 13th.