By Kevin Marriott

WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (SATURDAY)

Nailsea and Tickenham 1 Saltash United 2

THE Ashes held on for an excellent away victory, their fourth success in seven games, after they played with 10 men for the last hour following the sending off of striker Jake Curtis.

Fortunately the Ashes were 2-0 ahead by the time Curtis saw red in the 32nd minute as they had taken the lead after 10 minutes through young striker Deacon Thomson, and when Curtis made it 2-0 13 minutes later, all was looking good.

But Curtis was sent off and when the hosts scored within a minute of the restart through sub Oscar Collins, the pressure was on.

But the Ashes’ defence held out for a fine victory.

Saltash manager Macca Brown said: “The lads were superb. It was a game of two periods, before and after the red card.

“It’s really easy to just focus on the latter period and say we dug in and defended brilliantly, but actually the first half an hour we were such a threat and should have been 4-0 up.

“Jake had an eventful half an hour, he rounded the keeper and put his effort wide of the post after being off balance, and had another chance inside the six-yard box before he finished brilliantly on the volley.

“So he should really have had a hat-trick before the tackle that saw him get a red card. I thought it was harsh, the ref gave himself time to think about it but I don’t think he had the best view and I think the reaction of their players probably influenced him.”

SALTASH UNITED: Jordan Duffey, Reece Connew, Ethan Wright, Tyler Yendle, Jack Wood, Tom Huyton, Kieran O’Melia (Freddy Tolcher 85), Ben Goulty, Deacon Thomson (Kai Richardson 64), Jake Curtis, Aaron Goulty .Subs not used: A Hassell, Lee Britchford.