England ace Matty Ashton beams over brace of tries against Tonga; Warrington Wolves ace ‘in a dreamland’
Matty Ashton celebrates after scoring his first England try - Alamy
Matty Ashton says he’s ‘in a dreamland’ having scored both of England’s tries yesterday as they clinched the autumn test series against Tonga with a game to spare.
The Warrington Wolves starlet got the nod from national team chief Shaun Wane to start at the John Smith’s Stadium following an injury to Tommy Makinson.
Wane vowed he was confident that Ashton would deliver on the international stage, saying that he was ‘genuinely excited’ to see how the winger would perform.
And the former Swinton Lions speedster would deliver in style, crossing for a brace of four-pointers in the first half which were enough to put the game beyond Kristian Woolf’s visitors, the final score in Huddersfield 14-4.
England starlet Matty Ashton beams over Tonga brace: ‘I’m living in a dreamland’
The victory put England 2-0 up in the three-part series, and gives Wane’s side a chance to seal a whitewash when they take on their counterparts for the third and final time this autumn next Saturday – November 4 – at Headingley.
Speaking after his brace on what was just his second senior international appearance, Ashton beamed: “I’m buzzing to be honest, it’s like I’m living in a dreamland, for me.
“I’m taking each day as it comes being in camp with the boys, it’s class! To get two tries as well, it just tops the day off for me.”
The 25-year-old’s first-ever England try came just under seven minutes into yesterday’s clash, finishing a free-flowing move off in the corner.
Boss Wane pre-game admitted that veteran Makinson will be coming back into the side at Headingley, but Ashton has done himself no harm.
Watching back that first try, the Wire flier added: “We just talk about getting shape to our right and pulling the ball when it’s on.
“Luckily, I timed the run off Harry (Smith) and finished it in the corner. That’s a winger’s dream that, my eyes lit up. I knew I could finish it and I was happy to get over for my first try.”