ASHTON-on-Mersey recorded a morale-boosting win in a hard-fought game against Lymm at The Beets.

For the fourth week in a row Ashton were faced with batting first on a green wicket after losing the toss.

The innings started poorly with Alex O’Gara bowled with the first ball, but James Marshall rallied the batting effort with support from Fred Kamstra and Tom Scott.

But once Marshall departed for 35 the middle order found life difficult against some probing bowling.

With some rash shots and decisions going against them, Ashton were staring down the barrel as they slumped to 106-8.

But Ben Johnson and Mike Roberts showed a desire for the fight that had been missing in previous weeks.

With sensible cricket and an eye for the bad ball, the duo put on a 60-run partnership for the ninth wicket, helping the home side to reach 180-9 and claim maximum batting points.

In reply, Lymm looked like reaching the target despite some excellent seam bowling by Marshall and Craig Stow.

Nafees Din led the batting effort but when spinner Roberts took his wicket with a smart caught-and-bowled chance the Lymm response stalled.

A mid-wicket mix-up led to a run out and the return to the attack of Marshall (4-34) and Stow blew the Lymm tail away to see Ashton record a win which displayed great character after the poor form of recent weeks.

Ashton made it a weekend to remember with victory in their T20 cup quarter-final at Haslington on Sunday.

An elegant unbeaten 50 from Kamstra saw Ashton to victory by six wickets with an over to spare.

And the second XI made it a grand-slam weekend as they defeated Weaverham to maintain their title push.

Josh Knowles’ century and 86 from Mark Weighill were the highlights as Ashton put on 301-6. Henry Blease then took 5-35 and Lee Heap 3-61 as Weaverham were bowled out for 246.