This was a game of missed chances. Town dominated the first half but squandered innumerable chances in front of goal. On 15 minutes from a strange refereeing decision Ashton took a free kick in their own half down the steep slope. Town’s defence was caught asleep and Ashton scored from their one and only real attack of the half.

The second half saw Town playing down the slope, and they could have scored a bucketful but poor finishing and some excellent goalkeeping kept our forwards at bay. On 65 minutes Damien Whitehead took the ball down the left flank, beat the full back and two other defenders on the by-line, crossed, and Neil Holden at last put the ball in the back of the net. Ten minutes later Whitehead got his customary goal from a piece of individual brilliance.