Harrogate Town's pre-season ended in defeat after two goals in the last eight minutes overturned Dom Knowles' well taken header.
Simon Weaver named a strong side for the trip with Liam Kitching returning to left back and Joe Leesley and Lloyd Kerry deemed fit enough for the bench after injury.
Town instantly set about domingating possession and forced Druids 'keeper Jones into early action denying strikes from Aaron Williams and Ryan Fallowfield inside the opening five minutes.
Town's number ten couldn't repeat his good finish shortly after as Jack Muldoon's cross from the right found him unmarked six yards out, but the strker's header fell the wrong side of the post.
The Druids had an almost identical chance not long after, but centre half Nathan Peate couldn't lkeep his close range header under the cross bar.
The opening goal of the afternoon came ten minutes before half time as, after Josh Falkingham's run forward was illegally stopped, Knowles glanced George Thomson's free kick into the near corner.
Knowles was taken off early in the second half after appearing to be moving gingerly, with Joe Leesley making his return from injury in his place.
The returning winger almost doubled Town's lead shortly after coming on, but saw his low finish tipped onto the post by the goalkeeper after he had quickly shifted the ball onto his favoured left foot.
Williams was next to have a chance to double the advantage after a bit of sloppy defending allowed the forward to run through on goal, but Jones made a good one on one save.
Town were made to pay for not taking their chances in the 83rd minute as, after Ben Parker had commited a foul inches outside the area, allowing Evans to drill the resulting free kick low into the centre of the goal.
Three minutes later the contest was turned on it's head as Warren Burrell brought down a Druids attacker inside the area with a sliding challenge, prompting the referee to point to the spot and Ashton to convert the kick.
It was too late for Town to salvage anything from the game as Simon Weaver's side tasted defeat a week before our National League opener against Sutton.
Harrogate Town: Belshaw, Fallowfield (Langmead 63), Kitching (Parker 75), Falkingham, Howe, Burrell, Thomson (Agnew 63), Emmett (Kerry 75), Williams, Knowles (Leesley 52), Muldoon
Subs not used: Cracknell
Goals: Knowles 35
Cefn Druids: Jones, Arsan, Peate, Mudimu, Evans, Kershaw (Woodall 69), Cartwright, Burrows (George 63), Gareth, Ashton, Moutaud (Hall 63)
Subs not used: Thompson, Jackson
Goals: Evans 83, Ashton 86 (p)
Referee: Wilding
Attendance: