Ashton 3 Warrington 13

ASHTON dropped to the bottom of the South Lancs/Cheshire Two after losing 13-3 at home to Warrington on Saturday.

The home side started hesitantly and found themselves on their own try line after only two minutes.

The visitors' attack then lost impetus in a series of penalty concessions, the last of which gave Ashton a three-point lead.

But Ashton could not dominate their own scrummages and lineouts and were thus unable to worry the Warrington defence any further.

The visitors had the edge in attack which brought them two converted penalties, otherwise the game flowed each way without yielding more points.

Finally, just before the break, Warrington brought off a move which involved switching the ball across their flanks with a long backline pass which drew out the Ashton defence, creating the opening for the visitors to score a converted try.

Skipper Peter Lineham led the charge after the break with some powerful running from the number 8 position.

Mark Breslin was getting in some gritty runs on the wing and out of defence and Mike Mills was kicking well to force the opposition back into their own half.

These actions spurred a high speed cycle of pick and goes from the Ashton forwards putting the home side right on the visitors try line.

But Ashton could not capitalise from a number of their own lineouts to breach the Warrington defence and overturn the deficit.