Prestwich put in one of their best performances of the season to go some way to exorcising the disappointment of the cruel last minute cup defeat in the previous outing.
Against an Ashtonians side that started the game in fourth spot Prestwich started the game well playing some lovely football made all the more impressive given the poor quality of the playing surface and high winds.
With Darren Buckley and Sam Holden controlling the central areas, Prestwich’s wide men Mike Neary and Steve Murty were given a platform to get on the front foot and provide a constant threat with their pace and close control. Constantly running at the Ashtonians ever retreating rear guard, that allied to a similarly effective strike force of Martin Hill and Sean Haslam, made it obvious that the Ashtonians defence would be in for a difficult afternoon.
Time and time again this quartet combined to force their way into and around the Ashtonians box but to be fair they were well organised and defending bravely with several last minute interventions just preventing anyone getting totally clean through on goal, or the keeper managing to be in the right place at the right time to claim crosses or make a save.
Whilst proving a stubborn nut to crack defensively Ashtonians certainly weren’t entirely without a goal threat and centre backs Paul Taylor and Richard Steadman who had a particularly solid game were called upon to make some similarly well timed tackles.
Prestwich took the lead on the 23rd minute with a fine goal, having broken up an Ashtonians attack the ball was fed out to Buckley just inside his own half, he in turn fed it to Hill who arrowed it to Haslam who showed tremendous strength and determination to hold of two defenders and work his way inside the box wide to the left, his pull back was met my Neary (pictured) who’s first time shot flew in low and hard past the keeper.
After the goal Prestwich’s now customary post goal lackadaisical period kicked in and Ashtonians enjoyed what would be their best spell of the game, keeper Mike Hudson just got a hand to a goal bound low shot with enough strength to divert it against the post and a free kick flew narrowly over the top.
Fortunately Prestwich eventually re-asserted themselves and restored the game to its normal pre-goal pattern without conceding but were unable to add to their own tally and kill off the game before half time.
With last week’s experience still fresh in the memory the lads came out in the second half determined not to suffer a similar fate and within three minutes of the restart were 2-0 up with another well crafted goal, this time Neary turned provider, receiving the ball from Haslam on the right hand edge of the box, he played in Hill who whipped the ball in from a central position some 20 yards out.
One sensed there was going to be no come back for Ashtonians now and with their tails up Prestwich began to tear into the Ashton defence at every opportunity ….a matter of time before the third came.
Hill and Murty were taking on and beating men at will now showing an uncanny deftness of touch given the stodgy playing surface, but the third when it came surprisingly wasn’t from a surging run by either of these. A cross from wide right was met with a text book downward header by Haslam, to his and everyone else’s amazement the big keeper managed to get down and palm it away but the ensuing scramble saw the ball land with Neary who smashed it home from 12 yards.
Murty had several efforts of his own go just wide, all coming about through him having dribbled past players on the left and cutting inside and just failing to curl the shot inside the right hand post, but there was still time for Neary to cap a fine hat trick performance of his own with a sweetly taken volley from a delightful pass by Conor Hart in the 90th minute.
All in all it was just the sort of disciplined all round solid team performance that was needed before next week’s mouth-watering fixture at home with table topping Rossendale who lie currently just a point ahead with same games played.
