Wasting no time, the Robins claimed their first win of the year with a 1=0 victory over FC United of Manchester on the opening day of 2026, writes Nesya Tesalonika.
Ashton United started the match strongly, with James Hardy making his first full start of the season. The opening stages saw chances at both ends, as FC United’s Jordan Buckley went close early on. Midway through the first half, Ashton were awarded a penalty, but Adam Le Fondre’s effort was saved, keeping the scores level.
The only goal of the match came shortly afterwards. A long throw led to a corner, and when the ball was headed back into the box, Dylan Cogill reacted quickest to score his first goal for Ashton United and put the visitors ahead.
Before half-time and after the break, Ashton continued to create chances, hitting the crossbar and forcing several saves from the home side. FC United pushed hard for an equaliser late on, but Ashton defended resolutely to see the game out.
In his post-match interview, head coach Steven Cunningham said the first half was “a really good game, with both teams creating chances.” He added that in the second half he noticed the opposition’s movement was causing problems, which led him to make a small tactical adjustment. Overall, he felt his side performed well.
The win marked one of Ashton United’s best performances of the season, earning their fifth consecutive victory over FC United of Manchester and lifting them to eighth place in the NPL table.
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