The Robins of Ashton eventually ran out convincing winners of a tough looking opening fixture at the KAL Group Stadium in Lincolnshire.
There were plenty of familiar faces in the visitors' line up with just one full debut handed to Willem Tomlinson in midfield and the hosts, fresh from a strong 7th place finish last season and good runs in the two major cup competitions boasted Frank Mulhern in their starting line up, leading scorer Declan Howe having departed for Scunthorpe.

The Holy Blues made the stronger start with Mulhern heading Ashley Jackson's lofted ball into the area well wide and Javelle Clarke then fired Mulhern's pass over the bar after Adam Crookes had robbed Tomlinson.

Mulhern would have been clean through if he had controlled Bobby Johnson's pass into the area and after Callum Rowe had been penalised for a shoulder challenge on Mulhern the centre forward gave Jordan Eastham a routine save from 30 yards.

With little significant goalmouth action in the first 40 minutes the game sprung into life just before half time as a left wing throw in led to Sean Newton's delivery being glanced home by the head of last season's leading scorer Darius Osei and in added time a long throw in saw Fraser Preston's snap shot tipped over by Eastham before Louis White almost caught out Robson in the home goal with a dipping volley.

Four minutes after the resumption Jordan Helliwell's burst into the area was just stopped in time before Will Lancaster trod on the ball leaving half time substitute Luca Navarro to see his shot blocked by Robson with Osei guiding the rebound over the top.

Ashton's other substitute Mikey O'Neill then shot wide on the break having exchanged passes with Alex Byrne and Preston's cross was headed wide by Butroid six yards out after O'Neill had given the ball away.

WIth 17 minutes left White's pass sent Navarro racing into the area from where he tricked his way past Lancaster and curled a superb effort home into the far corner and with three minutes left the debutante winger was on the scoresheet again as O'Neill picked up a loose ball and slid him in for a confident finish to get Ashton's season up and running.

Att: 711

Team: Eastham, Burke, Doherty, White, Baird, Byrne, Rowe, Gilchrist (O'Neill 64), Osei, Tomlinson (Navarro 46), Newton. SNU: Efunnuga, Denton, Taylor.