Ashton United won 5-2 at Whitby Town in FA Cup first qualifying round, recovering from an early two-goal deficit. The decisive factor was James Hardy's four-goal burst after the hour, which turned the tie completely in Ashton's favour.
Whitby Town took the lead with a goal in the 7th minute and doubled it by the 23rd, leaving Ashton with plenty to do. Hardy started the fightback in the 61st minute, scored again two minutes later, then put Ashton ahead in the 75th and added a fourth in the 79th. Darius Osei sealed the result with Ashton's fifth in the 90th minute.
The standout performance belonged to Hardy, who scored four of Ashton United's five goals. Whitby Town's bright start could not survive that spell of sustained pressure, and Ashton progressed after a thoroughly convincing turnaround.
