Ashton United are the early leaders of the Northern Premier League having turned around an early deficit to run out comfortable winners at Hurst Cross.

The visitors were one of two teams to complete the double last season and duly moved ahead on 17 minutes as Jim Craig initially went over in the area leading to Joe Amison's deep cross being headed home at the far post by Sekouba Sanogo.

The visitors had already gone close as Dylan Moonan's header from a corner was scraped away by Taylor in the home goal before Reece Kendall's throw in ended with Alex Byrne volleying narrowly over.

Moonan's chip into the area then saw indecision in the home defence allowing former Robin Nico Evangelinos to volley over on his left foot.

Ten minutes before the break the hosts found the equaliser as the latest in a series of corners saw Byrne swing his delivery outside the area from where debutante Kendall controlled before firing home on his left foot.

Four minutes after the break Byrne's latest corner was met by the unmarked head of centre back Nathan Okome who headed the home side in front and seven minutes later they extended their lead as Kendall's right wing cross saw Darius Osei's shot on the turn blocked with Dylan Cogill firing the rebound home close in.

Three minutes further on Hardy's pass into the area saw a sharp turn by Willoughby see his snapshot come back off the right hand upright.

The Dolly Blues had the chance to reduce the deficit midway through the half as Sanogo won a penalty from John Lufudu which saw Tommy Taylor in the home goal palm away Evangelinos' effort and the importance of this was emphasised just a minute later as Kurt Willoughby and James Hardy combined to set up Danny Turner for a right foot finish, the 3rd debut goal on the day.

The home side could have extended their lead as Cogill's far post header was deflected over following Johnson's corner and Lufudu cut inside from the right wing before narrowly missing the near post.

Att: 409

Team: Taylor, Lufudu, Kendall (Geddes 70), Cogill, Okome, Spooner, Byrne (O'Neill 73), Turner, Willoughby (Johnson 73), Osei (Doro 92), Hardy (Knight 73).