Ashton United 3 Trafford 4

HOLDERS Trafford began their defence of the Manchester Premier Cup with a thrilling 4-3 victory at Hurst Cross on Tuesday night.

Joe Shaw’s audacious chip from 35 yards after just four minutes almost gave them the perfect start but unfortunately cannoned back into play off the crossbar before Michael Oates gave them the lead when he thrashed the ball into the roof of the net following a neat pass by Shelton Payne.

Trafford keeper Andy Robertson then produced fine saves to deny Chris Baguley and Bradley Robinson but was then guilty of an horrendous mistake in the 21st minute when he gifted the ball to Richard Bennett who had the simplest of tap ins.

Amazingly, within sixty seconds home goalkeeper Joshua Cook was equally generous to the opposition and his mistake allowed Shelton Payne to gain possession and fire home from 10 yards.

Shaw went close again with another long range effort that flew inches over before Ashton striker Josh Steadman broke clear but was thwarted by a brave block by Robertson.

In the 52nd minute Luke Heron made it 3-1 when he netted the rebound after Payne’s shot had been parried by Cook but another defensive calamity reduced the arrears just three minutes later when Rees Walsh’s attempted clearance floated over Robertson and nestled inside the far post.

The play then became rather scrappy as both teams conceded possession too readily but then burst back into life in the 82nd minute when the mercurial Payne cut inside two defenders down the left and shot inside the near post to make it 4-2.

Trafford appeared to be coasting to victory but three minutes from time they received a jolt when Martyn Andrews handled a shot by Steadman and Matthew Chadwick blasted the resultant penalty into the bottom right hand corner.

Despite this, the visitors defence held firm and Payne should have completed his hat-trick three minutes into injury time when he broke clear but was denied by a brave save by Cook.

On Saturday Trafford return to league action with the long journey to Whitby Town and then on Tuesday night they entertain league leaders Buxton at Shawe View, kick off at 7.45pm.