A 95th minute penalty was all that separated high flying Hebburn and Ashton after a brave rearguard performance by the visitors who played over half the game with ten men.

Paul Cooper was back on loan from Buxton deputising for the injured Jordan Eastham in goal and the Robins thought they had made the perfect start in the first minute as Al Byrne's lay off was fired home by James Hardy only to be given offside.

The heavy pitch was never likely to conducive to flowing football and Byrne was presented with a clear chance by a backheader on 11 minutes with Dan Cameron out quickly to block whilst at the other end Robert Briggs' goalbound shot was blocked by the foot of Dylan Cogill.

Just ahead of the half hour a great break saw Hardy tee up Byrne for a cross which saw Jason Gilchrist's close in effort well deflected over the top by Matthew Elsdon with Cogill glancing the return ball wide.

Briggs was back in the action soon afterwards as his left foot effort came back off the post before winger Campbell Darcy was well denied by Cooper from the rebound with the offside flag raised.

Four minutes before the break Sean Newton was given a difficult high ball to control with Gary Martin getting the better of the centre back only for Newton to receive a red card for bringing down the centre forward just outside the area - the free kick coming to nothing.

The second period got off to a slow start with Byrne now dropping to right back but on the hour great hold up play by Mikey O'Neill saw him set up Louis White for a drive against Hebburn's right hand post.

Sub Kian Foreman was making some lively runs from the left wing for the Hornets and Cogill had to be alert to effect the block before Elsdon headed Oliver Martin's free kick narrowly over the bar.

With the visitors within sight of a deserved point Foreman once again cut inside and was taken down just inside the area by the outstretched foot of Willem Tomlinson leaving Gary Martin to fire home the spot kick and steal the points.

Att: 326

Team: Cooper, Burke, Doherty, Newton, White, Cogill, Byrne, Rowe, Gilchrist (Tomlinson 75), O'Neill (Navarro 71), Hardy (Osei 66). SNU: Denton.