Ashton Prime 1-3 High Brooms Casuals Reserves

Prime were beset by injury problems ahead of the match with Mellors and Walsh ruled out while Tom Matthews was still 2 weeks away from fitness. With Carl Barker, Sankey and Leaver also unavailable, Garside, Goldsmith and Smith-Foreman returned to the side with French and Sturmey making the bench.

Prime started the game brightly with Kneebone and Skovborg-Hansen's pace causing problems.

The home side forced a number of corners as the Casuals goal led a charmed life. Smith-Foreman failed to get any power behind a low drive, and Goldsmith had a shot blocked following excellent work by Skovborg-Hansen.

Eventually the pressure told as Matthews produced an excellent through-ball which Ellis ran onto and slotted past the advancing keeper.

But from one of The Casuals sporadic attacks, their midfielder was given time and space on the edge of the box, despite several Prime defenders in attendance to curl low into the corner of the net.

The game flared up after Goldsmith was cynically hacked down while in mid-air, causing the midfielder to lose his cool with his opponent. The referee inexplicably saw fit to book Goldsmith and not even caution the Casuals player.

Soon after Skovborg-Hansen called for a ball and as Ellis failed to get out of his way, he let out a yell of frustration - and again the ref put his name in the book.

Eventually the game cooled down and Goldsmith went close with a dipping volley after a corner had been cleared.

The second half started with High Brooms coming more into the game, with the wind at their backs and the slope in their advantage.

Their striker struck the crossbar from the edge of the box to sound a warning to The Numbers.

But Prime battled back into it and Smith-Foreman again could have done better when well-placed on a couple of occasions.

However, from an innocuous long throw High Brooms took the lead as the centre-backs let the ball bounce and left a player unmarked at the back post to head in from a yard out.

Prime had to chase the game and introduced French for Garside. They battered away at the Casuals goal but couldn't find an opening.

The home side knew it wasn't going to be their day after Goldsmith skipped past a couple of tackles and flashed a low ball across the face of goal which just eluded both strikers and Kneebone.

With everyone pushing forward, Prime were hit on the break as a 3 on 2 situation led to their midfielder slotting home to seal the points.

Man of the Match: Ellis - Tireless performance and a coolly taken goal.