Ashville won an exhilarating Wirral Derby three goals to two away at Cammell Laird 1907 following a second half comeback.

The game started with the level of competitiveness one would expect from a local derby with neither side really gaining a foothold in the game. Ashville were perhaps the better looking of the two sides but failed to make this count in the final third.

The opening 15 minutes would remain this way until Cammell Laird took a somewhat unexpected lead. A scrappy goal by the Cammell’s as they took advantage of some sloppy defending by Villa which was rounded off with a stinging open goal volley for former Ashville man, Ben Glover.

Ashville looked to respond quickly but the away side struggled to break down a stubborn Cammell Laird defence. The best sight of goal that came Villa’s way up to this point was a speculative half volley from 20 yards by Mark Madden which drifted harmlessly wide of the upright.

Ashville started to look a bit more threatening going forwards following Madden’s chance and it wasn’t long before they were in shooting range again. Madden turning supplier this time for Tom Hewlett but the young midfielder couldn’t keep his half volley down.

In the blink of an eye and the hosts were two up against the run of play. A brilliant through ball for Joe Brandon saw the attacker poke it across to Jack Darlington who inadvertently played it back into the path of Brandon who slid in at the back post to tap home and double the home sides advantage.

The first half would pass without further incident outside of some light pushing and shoving following a tussle between Mark Madden and Haydn Cooper which somehow resulted in a light scratch to Coopers head. Madden was booked for his part but despite throwing Madden to the ground in the first instance, Cooper escaped punishment. This was the only real flare up of what was a generally well contested, well tempered affair.

The second half began with a bang as Ashville gave themselves a lifeline just a minute after the restart. Tom Hewlett playing in Lewis Moynes who saw his shot parried by Ebbrell but the Cammell’s keeper pushed the ball back into his penalty area where it was duly followed up by Hewlett who slotted the ball home to start the Ashville comeback.

The hosts didn’t know what hit them and Ashville took advantage of their stunned opponents by levelling the game up just six minutes later. Tom Hewlett was judged to of been fouled in the process of winning a 50/50 ball and a free kick from 30 yards was awarded to Ashville. Half time substitute Josh Maldon stepped up and whipped home a Beckham-esque free kick into the bottom corner leaving Ebbrell stranded.

The tide had fully turned the visitors way and a half of almost relentless pressure was to follow. Maldon looked to add to his tally a few minutes later but his whipped try from range had too much on it and sailed over.

His fellow half time substitute, Joe Dulson, also brought a new dynamic to the game and his low cross found Mark Madden in the box with the experienced striker turning well in the box but his shot was too central and easily caught by Ebbrell.

Dulson was at the heart of things again shortly after, some great work on the left gave the winger an opportunity to cut inside and shoot with his attempt getting too much air on it and sailing over.

With 13 minutes left on the clock it was Lewis Moynes with the next effort on the Cammell’s goal drawing a very good diving catch from Ebbrell to keep the scores level.

Villa almost completed the comeback in the 82nd minute when Tom Hewlett was found completely free in the area by a flick on from Dulson but saw his looping header go narrowly wide of the post.

Ashville would indeed complete the turnaround just two minutes later, Joel Kelly turning his man inside out before firing a low cross into the back post where Hewlett was on hand to slide in and tap the ball home for Ashville.

The remaining few minutes would see a barrage of pressure from the hosts as they desperately clawed to draw level once again but the Ashville defence stood firm. 

There would be one final moment of controversy however. A deep free kick was pumped into the area for the hosts where an unpenalised push on Jamie Owen saw the young keeper drop the ball before a sliding challenge from Connor Courtnell saw Ben Wood go down under no contact. The referee blew his whistle to the screams of penalty appeals from the hosts but the decision was a free kick and Wood was booked for simulation.

Ashville would hold out for an unforgettable comeback victory on the turf of their local rivals and a return to winning ways after last weeks bitter late draw against Shawbury United. The result marks a sixth loss in the last seven games for Cammell Laird 1907 who started the season well but have faltered since mid August. 

Ashville now sit in sixth place in NWCFL First Division South, still within touching distance of the top of the table. It’s a slightly different picture for Cammell Laird who sit in 11th, ten points behind their Wirral counterparts but only 4 points behind 7th placed Abbey Hulton United.

Both sides will now look toward their respective away trips next weekend. Ashville travel to Shropshire to face in form Allscott Heath and Cammell Laird 1907 make the trip to league leaders Stafford Town with both games kicking off at 3pm.