“We are not going backwards because some of the football and the players we’ve got are brilliant. We are a really good side, we’re good to watch but we just didn’t perform.”

Looking ahead to tonight’s clash with Gainsborough, the gaffer said: “We need the fans to come out in their numbers. I need that place absolutely bouncing as if it's a playoff game.

“A message to the fans - come out, support us, help us on Tuesday. Be the 12th man and hopefully the players will thrive on that, they know exactly what Tuesday’s game means to us.”

Opposition Watch

After a steady first half to this year’s campaign, Gainsborough currently sit 9th, one point above the Robins and only six points off the playoff positions, with four games in hand on 5th-placed Ryland’s.

Gainsborough noticeably made an impression in the FA Cup this year, making it all the way through qualifying into the first round proper, where League Two’s Accrington Stanley narrowly came out on top in a 2-1 victory.

Last Time We Met

The two sides last faced off in the 25/26 season opener, where the Robins dominated proceedings, clinching all three points in a 3-0 win courtesy of goals from Darius Osei and a Luca Navarro double.

Matchday

Tickets for the game are available via cash and card turnstiles or online, priced at £14 for Adults, £10 for concessions, £8 for 12-15-year-olds, and £1 for under 12’s.

Please note, ID will need to be presented for any concessionary tickets if requested by a turnstile operator.

Turnstile 3 (on Surrey Street next to The Cross Bar) will be open from 6pm, for cash, card and pre-paid tickets.

The Cross Bar will be open from 6pm and access is from inside the ground only, there will be no access from the main entrance on Surrey Street.

We welcome both sets of fans into The Cross Bar for refreshments both prior to and after the match.

Alcohol not purchased from Ashton United is not permitted in the ground and stewards will be conducting bag searches on the turnstiles at their discretion.

At 7pm, the remaining turnstiles on Surrey Street and on Rowley Street will open as normal, as will the Robins Nest and the Robins Beer Hut inside Hurst Cross.

50/50 draw tickets will be on-sale both in The Cross Bar and on the ground, with match day programmes also available at the programme stand.

The AUFC Supporters club shop will open at 7pm, with memorabilia available to purchase from throughout the years.

If you cannot make it to the game, keep up on our Twitter feed @AshtonUnitedFC.