Ashton United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Redcar Athletic at Hurst Cross on Saturday, avenging their defeat from the previous week in league play. The decisive goal came shortly after the hour mark when returning captain Alex Byrne capitalized on a defensive error by Redcar’s Joshua Mazfari.

The breakthrough followed an earlier chance where Kurt Willoughby bypassed the goalkeeper but had his shot blocked on the goal line by full-back Connor Smith. Later in the match, Willoughby nearly extended Ashton United’s lead during a pivotal moment when Redcar’s Danni Lay received a red card for a foul on the forward inside the penalty area. Willoughby’s resulting penalty was saved by Mazfari, who dived to his left and managed to deflect the ball onto the post.

The first half unfolded mostly without significant scoring opportunities amid blustery conditions. Redcar’s Andrei Ardelean missed a notable chance after a defensive slip by John Lufudu, volleying wide from a Luke Spalding cross. Following Ashton United’s goal, Mikey O’Neill tested the goal with a shot that deflected off teammate Nathan Okome.

In the second half, Redcar’s best opportunity fell to Louis Johnson, who struck Spalding’s cross into the side netting on a quick counterattack. Despite the pressure, Ashton United held firm to secure the victory by the smallest of margins, marking a key result as they look to recover from last week’s setback.