ST HELENS Town’s play-off hopes suffered two big blows.

A 3-0 home defeat to Stockport Town on Tuesday was followed by drawing 4-4 in an entertaining derby at Ashton Town on Saturday.

The two results leave them four points outside the North West Counties First Division play-off places with six games remaining, but they do have two games in hand on Cheadle Town, who occupy the final play-off spot.

However, Town are now winless in three games.

After a fairly even opening period against Stockport, the visitors took the lead through Reuben Abreu before St Helens were reduced to 10 men.

A heavy challenge by Town’s George Lomax on a Stockport defender saw him sent off, leaving his teammates to battle back into the game a man light.

It was a task that proved too much as Adam Kay doubled the visitors’ lead midway through the second half before Mason Dunkley-Hemin made sure of the win in injury time.

The crowd that saw Town’s first league meeting with former landlords Ashton Town since the 1970s were treated to a rip-roaring encounter in which the sides shared eight goals.

Marcus Cusani opened the scoring for Ashton before Andy Gillespie grabbed a superb equaliser for St Helens, beating three defenders before curling in exquisitely.

The heavens opened as the first half drew to a close and it seemed to affect the visitors more as a mix-up in defence allowed Neil Weaver through one-on-one with keeper Matt Hodge to give Ashton the lead again.

The visitors equalised ten minutes into the second half when Aaron Morris was fouled in the box and Sam Sheen dispatched the spot kick, but Ashton took the lead again as St Helens failed to clear and David Mills slammed home.

Town’s third equaliser came when Sheen’s corner found its way to Ste Rigby who drove through a crowd into the net before Gillespie raced through the defence to slot home his second and put the visitors ahead for the first time.

With barely a minute left, that looked like the winner but Ashton stole a last-gasp equaliser through Weaver to deny St Helens a crucial three points.

Town, who tackle Hanley Town at Brocstedes Park on Tuesday, host Northwich Manchester Villa on Saturday.