Barrow continue their pre-season preparations with a trip to Hurst Cross to face Ashton United on Tuesday night, kick-off 7:30pm.
The Club:
Ashton United were founded back in 1878 as Hurst, and their first fixture was against Hurst Red Star in 1879. They famously won the Manchester Senior Cup in 1885, beating Newton Heath, who you may now know as Manchester United.
They signed Dixie Dean in 1940, with the former Everton legend making a duo of appearances and netting one goal for the Manchester side before the outbreak of World War II put a halt on proceedings.
Hurst changed their name to Ashton United following the resume of play after WWII, and even applied for election to the Football League in 1947. Unfortunately for Ashton, their application was unsuccessful and joined the Lancashire Combination instead.
The Stadium:
Ashton United have played at Hurst Cross since 1879, and is one of the oldest football grounds in the world, some three decades older than our historic Holker Street.
The current capacity of Hurst Cross is 4,500, with 250 covered seats and a capacity of 750 for covered standing.
Previous Encounters:
Barrow have faced Ashton United several times in the Northern Premier League and Conference North in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Both sides were founder members of the Conference North in 2004, and last met in a competitive fixture in December of that season. Steven Ridley was the hero in that game, as he hammered home an injury time rebound from Gavin Knight’s initial effort that hit the woodwork to seal a 2-1 victory for Lee Turnbull’s ten-men Barrow.
Tickets:
Tickets can be purchased online on Ashton United's website or at the turnstile. They’re priced at £5 for Adults & Over 65s, £1 for Ages 12-16 and free entry is on offer for U12s.
Travel:
The nearest rail station is Ashton-under-Lyne (AHN), which is accessed via the Manchester Victoria to Huddersfield service. There’s also a Metrolink stop approximately a mile away from the ground.
Supporters are advised that there is no on-site parking at Hurst Cross, but there is street parking in the nearby vicinity.
Address: Hurst Cross, Surrey Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 8DY.