FC - Staying Down

By Chris
May 13 2014

FC United of Manchester suffered play-off heartbreak for the fourth season in a row as Ashton United put pay to hopes of the Red Rebels ending their Gigg Lane tenure with promotion to the Conference North.

Jerome Wright gave Karl Marginson's men the lead with a penalty shortly after the hour mark, as FCUM aimed for a Gigg Lane play-off final.

However, Ashton took a nervy encounter to extra-time as they restored parity in the closing seconds of regular time courtesy of a Dale Johnson effort.

Late drama followed in extra-time as Jack Higgins fired home from a corner-kick with the match only seconds away from being decided by penalties. 

Conference North football eludes the Rebels yet again in hugely frustrating fashion. Marginson's side notched up 96 points and scored 108 league goals this season, but have again been denied in the play-offs.

The game brought the curtain down on nine years at Gigg Lane for FCUM. The community-owned club can now look forward to life in their new Broadhurst Park home 

Full Time - FC United of Manchester 1-2 Ashton United (A.E.T)
Attendance - 2,956