RADCLIFFE collected their first point of the post-Jon Macken era in a 1-1 draw against Ashton United at the Neuven Stadium.

The manager had left Boro the day before before their weekend defeat to Gainsborough Trinity, with Karl Marginson taking the reins as interim boss.

On Tuesday night, Ashton took the lead through Liam Tomsett but Daz McKnight grabbed Radcliffe’s equaliser just before the break.

There was little action up until the ninth minute when United took the lead, Tomsett looping a header over Ollie Martin in the goal to open the scoring.

Boro almost hit back immediately but Prince Haywood’s volley six minutes later flew narrowly wide of the post.

The hosts started to apply the pressure shortly after and a sharp one-two between Elliot Rokka and Liam Ellis fed the forward but his shot was comfortably saved by Greg Hartley in goal.

Josh Wilson had a chance to make it two for the visitors but his powerful header was well saved by Martin.

The home side finally found their way back into the game as McKnight met Javid Swaby-Neavin’s near-post cross to finish and draw his side level.

With two minutes of the second half on the clock, Martin was called into action again, pulling out an outstanding save from Sam Sherridan’s shot to keep the scores level.

Each side had a huge chance to take the lead midway through the half but Ashton’s Michael Brewster fired wide from close range and Ellis squandered a very similar opportunity, the ball whipped away by a defender.

With 15 minutes to go, Callum Dolan produced a fierce shot on the turn but Hartley was in the right placer to save and, though Ellis saw his appeals for a late penalty waved away, neither side could grab a winner.

That draw extended Boro’s winless run to five games, following their 2-0 defeat at home to Gainsborough on Saturday.

With just three minutes on the clock Trinity had taken the lead, with Greg Smith making the most of a defensive mistake from Callum Grogan. He homed in on goal and calmly slotted past Martin for the opener.

It went from bad to worse for Boro seven minutes later as Martin collected a back pass from Rick Smith which resulted in an indirect free kick for the visitors.

Gainsborough’s Smith smashed the laid-off pass into the Radcliffe wall and though the sting was taken out of his shot the ball crept into the Boro net to double the away side’s lead.

With less than a minute of the second period played the visitors were reduced to 10 men, Doug Thame seeing a second yellow card after a challenge on Callum Dolan.

Dolan went closest for Radcliffe with a fierce shot but it flashed past the post, and their chances of salvaging something dissipated when the teams were evened up by a straight red card for Smith for violent conduct as Trinity were looking to see out the clock.