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Errors in match reports: When Cables are attacking I am either focussing my camera to try to get a good action shot for the website or trying to stop my notebook and pen from falling on the floor! Not only that, but I have the world's worst memory for names and faces! With these factors to take into account it is inevitable that there will sometimes be mistakes in reports (e.g. the wrong player credited as having put in the cross that led to the goal). I email my reports to the non-league paper early Saturday evening (home matches only) then put them on the website and email them to the programme editor. If you spot a mistake it will probably be too late for the NLP, but if you email me I will correct any mistakes on the website version and arrange for the corrected version to be in the next match programme.

Debutante James Dever showed exactly why Andy Gray wanted to bring him to Prescot with a fine performance against visitors Ashton United.

Cables came close in the second minute when Eamonn Price received the ball from a throw-in and shot wide.

After nine minutes Price, staking an early claim for man of the match award, waltzed through the Ashton defenders and crossed from the left to the feet of Darren Byers who shot the home side into a 1-0 lead.

Ashton had an attack after 20 minutes but James Dever tackled well and cleared the ball to safety. Three minutes later Cables nearly doubled their lead when Steve McEwan received the ball from a throw-in but shot over the bar. A minute later it was nearly all square when Tommy Taylor shot over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.

The impressive defensive work displayed by Dever was again in evidence after 27 minutes when, under pressure, he headed the ball safely back to Richard Mottram in Cables' goal.

Ashton again nearly pulled level after 33 minutes when a low corner from the left found its way to Matty O'Neill on the edge of the penalty area, but O'Neill shot wide. The remainder of the half belonged to the home side with Byers having a shot tipped to safety by goalkeeper Damien Rooney and Gavin Lynch shooting over the bar. Half-time Cables 1 Ashton 0.

Cables had the first opportunity of the second half when Byers shot over after 47 minutes.

A spell of dominance for Ashton followed and Cables were grateful for some excellent defending by Anthony Bowden and Lee Smith.

After 54 minutes Taylor had a shot saved by Mottram. Shortly afterwards Ashton's manager decided that some fresh legs were called for and he sent on Gareth Richards.

As the second half progressed Ashton pushed harder and harder for a goal but Cables' defence showed itself equal to the task, with Bowden and Dever continuing to impress.

Cables' supporters feared the worst after 82 minutes when Ashton took a free kick from 30 yards out. The ball hit the bar and bounced to the head of O'Neill who headed over the bar. Two minutes later, substitute Matt Eddington crossed low across the face of the goal but no Ashton strikers were able to connect.

In the last two minutes Price nearly doubled the lead but his shot over the bar. This was truly a game of two halves; the difference being that Cables scored in their half.

Man of the match: James Dever
Entertainment *** out of five.

Teams:

Cables	num.	Ashton Utd
Richard Mottram	1	Damien Rooney
Lee Smith	2	Michael Murray
James Dever	3	Danny Caldecott
Anthony Bowden	4	Danny Forde
Karl Bell	5	Billy McCartney (c)
Dave Riddler	6	Gary Furnival
Steve McEwan	7	Matty O'Neill
Eddie Taylor (c)	8	Melford Knight
Darren Byers	9	Tommy Taylor
Eamonn Price	10	Glyn Barker
Gavin Lynch	11	Iain Howard
Marvin Molyneux	12	Matt Edgington
Karl Connolly	14	Ben Smith
Dean Thurston	15	Gareth Richards