HAYDOCK produced a gritty and determined display against the odds to defeat a confident Ashton team that had only lost once previously this season.

The Yick started well and from the Kick Off Ashton could not collect the ball properly and a scrum was given with Haydock feed, getting the ball from the scrum the ball was zipped straight across the field and debut player Caine Thompson went over in the corner to score against his former club. In form, and current leading NW Mens Premier League top point scorer Stand Off Ste Jones converted from the touchline to make it 6 - 0 after 2 minutes.

Ashton applied a bit of pressure on Haydock but the Yickers defence stood firm, until the 9th minute when Ashton went over in the corner to score a unconverted try to make it 6 - 4.

Five minutes later Haydock went back on the attack and good play by Ste Jones sent a great pass to Centre Kyle Braithwaite who crashed over for a good try near the corner, and another good conversion from Jones made it 12 - 4 to Haydock after 14 mins.

On 18 minutes with Ashton on the attack they spilled the ball and winger Karl Dingsdale was first to react and scooped up the ball and galloped 90 mtrs to score.

Another good conversion from the touchline from Jones put Haydock 18 - 4 in front.

Ashton came into the game a little more in the last 20 minutes of the first half, and scored two unconverted tries, in the 26th and 36th minute to make the score 18 - 12 to Haydock at Half Time.

Haydock suffered a big setback within the first 10 minutes of the restart when Mike Sexton who was fighting to get up quickly to play the ball, and with doing that the referee thought that he had tried to make contact with the Ashton player with his head, and to everybody's disbelief (even the Ashton players) he sent the Haydock player off the field of play.

Credit to the Haydock boys who came back hard and determined, and Braithwaite went in for his second try on 58 mins after more good work from Ste Jones made the score 22 - 12

Haydock even though down to 12 men were all over Ashton at this point, and a great run from winger Dingsdale who went 60m weaving in and out of players and passed inside to supporting packman Carl Cheetham who did the rest and powered over the line for a well deserved 'meat pie' to push the Yickers out to a commanding lead at 26 - 12, the reliable Jones converted to make it 28 - 12 and you would have thought Ashton had 12 men the way the Yickers were playing.

Four minutes later loose forward Connor Smith sent a pinpoint pass to Dingsdale who left the Ashton defence for dead to go in for his second try, once again converted by Jones to put Haydock ahead 34 - 12 after 64 minutes.

Haydock switched off in the final 10 minutes, seeing Ashton go in for two late tries in the 76th and 80th minute, to bring the final score 34 - 24.

A tremendous team performance from the Haydock team in which all of them deserve a mention, but special displays from Connor Smith who tool the Westchurch Homes man of the match award, closely followed by Chris Smith, Andrew Collier, Steve Jones, Carl Cheetham and Karl Dingsdale.

Haydock travel to Shevington on Saturday.