Adam Senior's 59th-minute strike was the difference between the two teams, and although Brig piled on the pressure late on, they were not able to find the equaliser.

It was the visitors who had the first clear cut opening of the afternoon, with Mateusz Hewelt called into action to produce a fine save to deny Florian Yondian from close range on nine minutes.

At the other end, Mark Yeates's cross from the left flank was carried towards goal by the wind, with Ashton 'keeper Oliver Martin having to backpedal and tip the ball over the bar. Minutes later, he produced a similar save to deny the Brig midfielder's free kick from just outside the area, before Nathan Pond headed wide from the resulting corner.

On 30 minutes, Ashton were awarded a penalty. Senior stepped up and took it, with Hewelt making a magnificent diving stop to his right to deny him from opening the scoring, and both sides went into the break with the scores goalless.

Senior put the visitors in front 14 minutes into the second half. The ball fell to him from a corner, before he lashed home into the roof of the net with his left foot.

Brig almost forced a quick response on 67 minutes, with Fin Sinclair-Smith's low drive from 25 yards out fizzing just past the post.

Jamie Milligan then made a double substitution, bringing Craig Carney and Sheldon Green into the action. Both players nearly combined for the equaliser on 80 minutes, when Green wasn't quite able to make full contact on a Carney cross from the right flank.

Brig continued to put the pressure on, and after several blocks inside the area, Carney fired towards goal but saw his effort blocked by the outstretched leg of an Ashton defender on the line. With injury time approaching, Green then had another effort saved by Martin in the Ashton goal.

That was to be the last clear cut chance of the afternoon. Despite defeat, Brig remain fourth in the Northern Premier League Premier Division table.