Whitby Town 0 Ashton United 2

Martin Pilkington's brace of goals was enough to see promotion-chasing Ashton to a comfortable win, at the Turnbull Ground, on Tuesday night, which keeps Town inside the bottom four.

It was a flat performance from the Blues in front of their lowest home crowd of the season, which leaves them a point adrift of fifth-bottom Stamford, with a game in hand.

Manager Chris Hardy made two changes from the side that lost 3-1 at home to Rushall Olympic, last Saturday, as Lee Bullock and Richard Pell were unavailable, so in came Mark Robinson and Jamie Poole as Town went to a 4-5-1 formation.

It seemed to not be working as visitors Ashton, fresh from a 3-0 win over neighbours Hyde three days earlier, dominated the early stages. Inside four minutes, Shane Bland was forced to push Chris Baguley's low drive around his left hand post, then moments later, the same player ballooned a free-kick just too high and wide.

An almost identical incident to one that occurred from Saturday took place after 11 minutes, but in reverse. This time, it was Poole left as the last defender, fouling an opponent who had just the keeper to beat. The vocal centre-half was fortunate that, despite Ashton's protestations, led my midfielder Will Haining, referee John Matthews ruled that Bland was getting to the loose ball first and only booked Poole.

Pilkington sent a 20-yard shot from nothing straight at Bland before the number nine finally broke the deadlock, on 25 minutes. Jeff King's left-wing cross saw Pilkington go up against the Blues' stopper from 16 yards and the way the ball dipped suddenly after lobbing over Bland, it appeared there was a slight deflection on its way into the net.

Seconds later, Cavell Coo's fine work sent Pilkington clear one-on-one, only for the hotshot to pull well wide of Bland's right-hand post, the young gloveman then pushed away another Baguley effort, low to his left, on the half hour. Pilkington could easily have had a first half hat-trick and his lightning effort on the turn flew inches to the left of a flat-footed Bland and, to Town's relief, the post as well.

The Seasiders struggled to get out of their own half for much of the opening period with a flat display failing to bring a single save from joint player-boss and goalkeeper, Paul Phillips.

Hardy was understandably unimpressed:

"The first 45 minutes, we were lacking in all departments." he said.

"I really think the circumstances were up against us- ie. a very powerful direct side, with a bit of a head wind to contend with- it seemed to cause a lot of problems.

"We went in at 1-0 and knew we were still in the game. It was a chance to regroup, a chance to get something from the fixture.

"We gave a better account of ourselves [in the second half] but on reflection, we didn't do enough to get a win or draw, that first 45 minutes really let us down."

The Blues came out of a half-time huddle to encouragement from the crowd and they made the early second half running with Andy McWilliams hooking just over from the left-edge of the box.

At the other end, skipper and central defender Jason Gorton stayed up from a corner, turning superbly and firing a driven effort narrowly wide.

Hardy introduced big frontman Anthony Hume for McWilliams, with just over 20 minutes remaining, but clear-cut chances were still at a premium. Next, right-back Callum Martin made way for a fourth striker, Tyler Scarth, but it was the visitors who found the net next, two minutes from time. It was an excellent run from Mark Lees that released Pilkington to rifle into the top-right corner and ensure the points were headed back to Lancashire.

Whitby Town: Bland, Martin (Scarth 83), Robinson (c), Weledji, Poole, Gell, McTiernan, Hopson, Roberts, Waters, McWilliams (Hume 69). Subs not used: Maughan, Wood, Dixon (GK).

Ashton United: Phillips, Coo, Mason, Gorton (c), Connor, Lees, Toner, Haining (Wharton 69), Pilkington, Baguley (Morning 76), King (Marshall 63). Subs not used: Chadwick, Gee.

Attendance: 185

Co-operative Whitby WTFC Man of the Match: Dale Hopson

Match Sponsor: Harland Brothers Builders, Glaisdale

Matchball Sponsor: Royal Hotel, West Cliff, Whitby