After a disappointing start to the league, Ashton Sixth Form College’s men’s 1^st football team have fought and defended their way to the top with a victory on Wednesday against Xaverian Sixth Form College.

For the final match Xaverian scored a screamer from 20 yards out in the first half, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. Ashton then upped their game in the 2^nd half creating a number of great chances but failing to take them. However, Ashton responded with a 30 yard screamer of their own through Tom Beswick. From there they managed to stay solid defensively through a wave of Xaverian attacks to hang on for the draw to clinch the top spot and Lee Wilkins winning man of the match to secure his own personal achievement of Most Man of the Match Awards this season. Zack Lloyd was also named Top Goal Scorer and Tom Beswick Top Assists for the season.

For the full break down of this season’s matches see below:

Game 1: 23/09/2015 Ashton 1-2 St John Rigby: A disappointing start with a 2-1 loss. Ashton never really got going in the game and were mainly restricted to shots from outside the box. Zack Lloyd scoring a penalty. Man of the match: Lee Wilkins

Game 2: 30/09/2015 Aquinas 1-1 Ashton: A hard fought point away from home, James Haide with an own goal before Olly Topping scored a last minute equaliser to earn the first point of the season. Man of the match: Kieran Mills

Game 3: 21/10/2015 Cheadle Hulme 0-3 Ashton: The first win of the season came away from home and was a comfortable victory. Goal scorers: Jason Koestner, Kieran Cryan and Medi Bakinama. Man of the match: Tom Beswick

Game 4: 2/12/2015 Winstanley 2-3 Ashton: A comfortable game with a very nervous ending. Goals from James Haide, Darnell Greenidge and Kieran Mills put Ashton into a commanding 3-1 lead, but a late goal meant the team had to defend resolutely to hang on to the victory. Man of the match: Tom Smith

Game 5: 9/12/2015 Ashton 6-1 Priestley: Priestley came with their confidence sky high having won 3 from 3, but a superb attacking display from Ashton left them with no chance as they were blown away within the first half. Goals from Azan Shafiq x2, Zack Lloyd x2, Darnell Greenidge x2. Man of the match: Zack Lloyd

Game 6: 20/01/2016 Loreto 1-1 Ashton: The first game of the New Year was a very difficult hard fought draw. It looked like 0-0 until Loreto took the lead mid-way through the 2^nd half. For the 2^nd time this season though Ashton showed their relentless, never say die attitude to claw their way back with another last minute equalizer this time from Tom Beswick. Man of the match: Lee Wilkins

Game 7: 27/01/2016 Sir John Deanes 2-5 Ashton: After a sloppy first half had finished 1-1, Ashton came out firing in the 2^nd half to cruise to victory with two goals from Zack Lloyd, with Callum Jackson, Darnell Greenidge and Jack Wood all getting a goal in as well. Man of the match: Zack Lloyd

Game 8: 3/02/2016 Ashton 1-0 Carmel: Ashton dug deep, battled hard and managed to ball some great football in difficult conditions. The game, heading towards a 0-0 draw, saw an inch perfect corner whipped in by Tom Beswick that was duly met by the rising James Haide to head home, giving Ashton a much needed win. Man of the match: Medi Bakinama

Game 9: 9/03/2016 Ashton 4-3 Rochdale: Battle of the top two, both teams needing a win to give themselves the advantage going into the final game of the season. Neither side really dominated the game, it was only due to some superb defending by Ashton, in particular James Haide with a brilliant goal line clearance that they picked up a crucial 4-3 victory. Goal scorers Zack Lloyd x2, Tom Beswick and an own goal. Man of the match: James Haide

Game 10: 16/03/2016 Ashton 1-1 Xaverian: There was nothing to choose between the 2 sides in the first half until Xaverian scored a screamer from 20 yards out leaving the goalkeeper (Nathan Knowles) with no chance. Ashton then upped their game in the 2^nd half creating a number of great chances but failing to take them. However, Ashton responded with a 30 yard screamer of their own through Tom Beswick. From there they managed to stay solid defensively through a wave of Xaverian attacks to hang on for the draw to clinch top spot. Man of the match: Lee Wilkins

 

This Season’s Awards:

Top goal scorer: Zack Lloyd (7)   Top assists: Tom Beswick (10)

Most Man of Match Awards: Lee Wilkins (3)

 

Most played squad:

GK. Nathan Knowles / R.B. Jack Wood, C.B. James Haide, C.B Medi Bakinama (C), L.B Tom Smith / C.M. Lee Wilkins, C.M. Tom Beswick, C.A.M. Zack Lloyd / L.W. Kieran Mills, R.W. Olly Topping / S.T. Darnell Greenidge. / subs: Dan Paul, Kieran Cryan, Jason Koestner