By Dave Robinson

A late fightback saw the home side rescue a draw from Ashton's first visit to the plastic surface of Farley Way having entered the last 20 minutes with a two goal deficit.

The visitors had a new centre back in the shape of Pierre Nelson and had re-signed Enoch Lusiama who started on the bench and in the first four minutes a sharp turn by Kurt Willoughby forced a low save out of Jake Laban.

A similar effort from Darius Osei was then pushed away before Jesse Friend turned past Nathan Okome on the break and forced a near post save out of Tommy Taylor.

Passing the midway point of the half Willoughby's break tee'd up captain for the evening Callum Spooner for a raking effort which brought another good stop out of Laban.

After James Hardy had just missed the left hand post following a great run from Spencer Knight, Willoughby held the ball up before laying it off to Justin Johnson who cut inside before seeing his left foot shot deflected home to give the Robins the lead.

Five minutes before the break a sloppy pass from Johnson set Terell Pennant on the break and his left foot effort clipped the post from a tight angle.

The second period started with Okome just clearing Pennant's dangerous cross past the near post and Pennant then steered an effort wide as Ashton conceded the possession.

With 25 minutes left Hardy progressed into the area and saw his snapshot slip from Laban's grasp with enough momentum to be adjudged to have crossed the line.

One minute on and Scott Burgess' effort from distance rebounded to Osei who steered wide from six yards out and Hardy then possibly could have done better than sidefoot straight at Laban after Lusiama had set him up.

Shortly afterwards the hosts forced a corner which, after Taylor had been booked for delaying the kick, saw the ball forced home following a scramble possibly for an own goal.

The comeback was complete with 13 minutes left as Pennant picked up a free kick which saw Ryan Beswick's free kick headed home by Freddie Cook and the home side could have grabbed all 3 points as Friend's pullback was sidefooted wide by Beswick from the edge of the area.

Att: 301

Team: Taylor, Lufudu, Knight, Okome, Nelson, Spooner, Burgess (O'Neill 92), Johnson (Scanlon 70), Willoughby (Willoughby 70), Osei (Byrne 86), Hardy. SNU: Doro.