Ashville made it back to back wins on Tuesday evening when they dispatched Runcorn Town by three goals to nil.

The Villa were unquestionably the better side right from the start but it took the home side 17 minutes to find an opener. Joel Kelly playing a smart through ball into Lewis Moynes who lifted it over the keeper from 10 yards out. Moynes has now scored in back to back games for Ashville after returning from a hamstring injury which saw the winger miss the first couple of games of the season.

Villa wasted little time making it two as just over ten minutes later high profile summer signing, Mark Madden got off the mark with his first goal of the season. After exchanging passes with Tom Hewlett down the left hand side, Madden raced into the box where Hewlett’s pull back landed at the feet of Joel Kelly. Kelly held the ball up before setting up Madden who slammed the ball home from close range to double Villa’s lead.

The very windy conditions slowly started to impact the game after Madden’s goal, a battling midfield performance from Villa keeping the home side on top bar one curling effort from the visitors which the wind swung over the bar.

The conditions didn’t stop Lewis Moynes from terrorising the Runcorn defence however, nearly bagging his second after he latched on to a ball over the top from Josh Maldon. Moynes sprinted clear of the Runcorn defence but the ball just wouldn’t settle for him and his subsequent poked effort went just over the bar.

Ashville really should have been even further ahead not long after. Moynes and Madden working together to close down a shaky and unsettled Runcorn defence and win the ball back. Moynes then laid it off for Lennox Allward to get in behind and fire a low shot which required a diving save from the keeper, however, he could only parry it into three path of both Madden and the onrushing Tom Hewlett. Madden got there just before his teammate and what looked like a certain goal was blocked on the line by an alert Runcorn defender.

The second half saw even more Ashville dominance as the home side rarely left the Runcorn half. The first to feast on a glutton of chances was Mark Madden yet again, the Villa striker hungry to add another goal to his tally. Joel Kelly and Lewis Moynes linked up on the right hand side before the latter fired a cross into Madden who tried a spectacular scissor kick which sailed over.

Next in the queue was Tom Hewlett. After feeding Moynes in behind he received the ball back from his teammate on the edge of the area, seeing his first time curled effort drift wide of the left upright.

Hewlett wasn’t done there though. Teaming up with Moynes again, he got played in one on one but too much power on his shot saw him miss the target from a tight angle.

Next came arguably the best chance of the game. Hewlett turning provider this time with a slick through ball for Madden who placed wide one on one.

Madden would make amends shortly after though when he converted from a corner. His header hit the back of a Runcorn defender and Madden was the first on the rebound to once again slam it home for his second of the game and Villa’s third.

With a bank holiday double header coming up and the game well and truly settled beyond doubt the Ashville players took the opportunity to take their foot off the gas after the goal, slowing the game down and controlling possession to see the game out in a very professional manner. 

Ashville now sit 5th in the table after 8 games, just 6 points behind runaway leaders Alsager Town. Ashville will be looking to close the gap on ‘The Bullets’ when they travel to Shawbury United this weekend before returning home on Bank Holiday Monday to take on fellow high flyer’s, Stafford Town, with both games being 3pm kick offs