AFC Liverpool scraped a 1-0 win against a dogged Ashton Town thanks to Kieran Quinn’s first goal for the club. It’s a result that moves the Reds into second place in the league but it was a performance that was a shade of the one produced last week against AFC Blackpool.

Steven Jones had two early chances to give the home side the lead, firstly ghosting his way through a couple of challenges before poking the ball under keeper Lee Novak but fortunately for the visitors Adam Howard was able to clear off the line. Then, on the counter attack, played in by Quinn, bearing down on goal, a heavy touch allowed Howard to close down the space and Jones could no more than feebly toe poke it towards Novak.

The visitors worked their way back into the match and though they failed to threaten Jack Baker’s goal, AFC Liverpool were unable to retain possession long enough to build anything useful. Only a burst from Phil Stafford produced anything of note, freeing Shaun Chart to pick out Karl Gornell but the winger’s header back across goal bounced off the shins of Jack Sinnott two yards out and the chance was gone.

The half time break didn’t find an antidote to a laboured display, with only Gornell’s run bringing about a promising free kick but Chart’s direct attempt was an easy save for Novak.

The goal, when it came on sixty five minutes, had a touch of fortune to it as Quinn’s strike from the edge of the area took a glancing deflection off Lee Green, taking it just beyond the reach of the diving Novak.

A one goal advantage never felt fully secure and when the visitors applied pressure, the back line wobbled but thankfully never broke. Michael Mulrooney should have at least made Baker work when he shot from the edge of the area and on another day Howard’s cross could have been diverted into his own net by Gornell.

The positives to take from this match though, apart from the three points, is that a year ago, this game would not have ended with a victory for AFC Liverpool.

AFC Liverpool 1-0 Ashton Town
Quinn 65′

Attendance: 107

AFC Liverpool: 1.Jack Baker 2.Ben Fletcher 3.Darren Torpey 4.River Humphreys 5.Stephen McCluskie 6.Kieran Quinn (12.Neil Jones 83′) 7. Shaun Chart (15.Mark Toohey 80′) 8.Phil Stafford (C) (14.Adam Gilchrist 45′) 9.Steve Jones 10.Jack Sinnott 11.Karl Gornell
Unused Subs: 16.Paddy O’Driscoll 17.Sean Ferguson

Ashton Town: 1.Lee Novak 2.Anthony Cole 3.Adam Howard (12.Lee Harrison 80′) 4.Lee Green 5.Lewis Coyle 6.Lee Edmunds 7.David Barton 8.Michael Sykes (C) 9.David Ojapah 10.Michael Mulrooney (14.Stuart Dawber 70′) 11.Michael Atherton (16.Marcin Kozlowskie 90′)
Unused Sub: 15.Kevin Hill

Photo courtesy of Dave Williams