Ashton United v Marine

Even the ref looks brassed off !

... well by the time I finished work it could only be one of the two Ashton's (sorry HydeSteve - but I WILL get down on Easter Monday !). Chose Ashton United as I realised I'd not "done them" since before Christmas (a bit like Hyde really !!), but didn't even have time for a pre-match snifter in the Ashton Social Club (gasp !). Ashton certainly started the better, belying the difference 'twixt "down there" and "up near play-offs" and took a deserved lead - whether it was a cross or not, the wind certainly played a part I feel !! However an injury to new signing Warren Beattie (no not the ...) seem to play an integral part in the eventual result. Marine finally started to get their act together, getting a goal early on in the second half followed by a winner with ten minutes left. Some pix at

Ashton United 1 Marine 2

HOWEVER - once again we the speccies had to suffer the trials and tribulations of a bunch of moaning scousers. I'm sure it's not just me (and before anyone says owt ... I'm NOT a Manc - I come from the leafy suburbs (!) of Staffordshire). But go back through this blog and it crops up again ... and again ... and again. I reckon the FA have got two choices - a) kick the whole "Respect" thing into touch cus it's just a waste of time; b) tell the refs to grow a pair and be more bloody brutal, and get the red cards out - I mean a guy moans like hell - he gets a yellow - he CONTINUES to moan - where's the bloody red ? Marine had even brought their token "shouty fan" whose vocabulary for the entire 90 minutes consisted of two words ("A !" and "Referee !" - actually I lie; he did had a three minute repetition of "elbow" - which certainly incensed one home fan - the one with the wee white dog !). I don't know what it is - but it gets wearisome at times. Not arguing with the result - the team with the chances took the chances - but why not stick to bloody football - because that's what we're all here for ... rant over.

Now had I finished earlier - or not even been working today - I could possibly have seen 5 goals @ Ewen Fields - hey ho ...
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