Celtic were looking to get back to winning ways and make it five wins from six games – a run which has lifted them well clear of the drop zone.
And it was the hosts who took the lead in front of 360 after 37 minutes when Connor Hughes laid the ball across for Matty Wolfenden to fire home. The lead lasted barely five minutes though as Ashton scored with virtually their first shot on target from Dan Mooney.
Stalybridge restored their lead six minutes into the second half when Jake Charles produced a fine run and cross for Wolfenden to bag his second. However, the Robins earned a share of the spoils 20 minutes from time when Dean Smalley headed home a Lewis Baines cross.
Tuesday`s only other game was the A6 derby between Buxton and Matlock Town at Silverlands. It`s been a disappointing campaign for both these teams, with the Gladiators, like Stalybridge, flirting with the relegation zone until recent weeks.
It was goalless at the break but it was the Bucks who eventually broke the deadlock on the hour-mark when a Liam Hardy back-heel found Ali Taylor, who finished well. And Buxton doubled their adavantage with 20 minutes remaining when Joe McGee`s pass found defender Danny Amos, who shot under Matlock `keeper Richard Walton.
The visitors responded three minutes later when Ricardo German turned inside Greg Young and beat Jan Budtz. And then just six minutes after that, Matlock were back on level terms when a deflected cross comes back off the crossbar and Kieran Wallace reacted quickest to tap home from close range. The comeback from the Gladiators was completed as stoppage time ticked in with a fine goal from Joe Doyle-Charles.
Image courtesy of Steven Greenhough/nonleague.pitchero.com
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