A rollercoaster game at Ray Parker Stadium saw Ashville share the points with Shawbury United.
A quick start for the visitors saw them ahead after just two minutes when Joe Drakeley curled in an effort from the edge of the area into the bottom corner.
Ashville didn’t waste any time in responding however with Joel Kelly driving his effort home also from the edge of the area after just five minutes.
The game soon turned into a well fought midfield battle with Ashville seeing the better of the opportunities. Tom Hewlett and Mark Madden were both denied just seconds apart as the home side looked to turn the game around and take advantage of their early dominance in the midfield.
Madden would get in behind again just minutes later, smartly flicking the ball over a Shawbury defender before attempting to repeat the trick on Ashley Rawlins in the Shawbury goal but his effort landed on the roof of the net.
Just after the 20 minute mark Ashville thought they’d pulled ahead. Peter Morgan doing extremely well to get one on one with Rawlins but the angle became tight and the young forward fizzed his shot across goal where it went wide by the narrowest of margins.
It was another youngster less than five minutes later that was the latest to fight his way through the Shawbury back line. Joe Dulson turning his man inside and out before teeing up Madden whose placed attempt was tipped over for a corner.
with five minutes to go before the break Ashville finally had their lead. Shawbury attempted to play out from the back but Agyeman was caught off guard by a high pressing Peter Morgan who picked Agyeman’s pocket before picking out the bottom corner with a composed finish past Rawlins.
The home side started the second half with the same impetus with which they ended the first. Joel Kelly setting up Madden for a first time trivela which swung just over the bar.
Just after the hour it would be Morgan in behind again. The forward nearly caught out Rawlins by going for the near post from a tight angle but the Shawbury keeper stuck out a leg to limit Villa to just a corner.
Ashville continued to dominate and should have been a few goals ahead after chances for Madden and Hewlett failed to hit the bag of the onion bag.
Hewlett would then depart for debutant Luca Salvatore with just under 10 minutes remaining. The 16 year old becoming the latest product of Ashville’s youth setup to feature for the senior side. Salvatore almost made an even bigger name for himself almost immediately when he saw a close range shot saved on the line. There was controversy in the buildup however as Madden was hacked down after he’d played the ball to Salvatore but the penalty appeals were waved away much to the bemusement of everyone wearing Ashville colours.
A series of injury stoppages in the second half resulted in 9 minutes of added time. Once again Ashville were the ones applying the pressure and Madden was once again ever so close to getting on the scoresheet. Tom Davies beat his man out on the right before firing a sizzling cross beyond Rawlins which was cleared off the line less than a studs length away from Madden who was stealing in to steer it home and wrap up the game.
Ashville’s lack of ruthlessness in front of goal would ultimately come back to bite them alongside a lapse in concentration in the final minute. A Hail Mary ball forward from Shawbury managed to find an unmarked man running in at the back post and despite a save from Jamie Owen and a further block in the line, the ball fell to Jack Howse who tapped in an unlikely equaliser with just seconds to spare.
It was heartbreak for Ashville who will come away from the game feeling like it was two points dropped rather than a point gained. The Villa will now travel to local rivals Cammell Laird 1907 for the first Wirral derby of the season in a game which both sides will view as a must win for their respective ambitions for this season. The derby will take place at KRCT Ltd Stadium on Saturday 21st September with kick off at 3pm.
