Ashington AFC in the Northern League: 1990-2000
1990/91
The 90/91 season was to be another frustrating season as Ashington finished in the middle of the Second division yet again. In the FA Vase the Colliers earned a replay at home to Cammell Laird from Birkenhead after a Steve Houlden goal earned Ashington a 1-1 draw. Unfortunately for the Colliers Cammell Laird surprisingly won 3-0 at Portland Park ending the Colliers run in the Vase. Another season of mixed results both home and away were to cost the Colliers any chance of pushing for promotion. Some disastrous results included a 1-7 home defeat to Evenwood and heavy away losses at Easington (1-6) and Prudhoe East End (0-5).
December saw highflying Bedlington Terriers who were in the promotion hunt make the short trip North to Portland Park for an entertaining derby encounter. After losing 0-6 to Gretna in the previous match, the Colliers were hardly in good form and on 9 minutes Middleton but the away side 1-0 up. However just before half time Mark Dodds, the former Nottingham Forest reserve striker, equalised with a powerful header from a Lonsdale cross to make the score 1-1 at the break. The Second half saw the Colliers turn on the style and Mark Dodds netted on three more occasions with the final score:
Ashington (1) 4
Mark Dodds 4
Bedlington Terriers (1) 1
Middleton
The Ashington side that day was:
Burke, Tweddle, Matthews, A. Lumsdon, P. Lumsdon, Terrell, Lonsdale, Smith, Humble, Dodds, Davis.
Subs - Campbell, Boakes.
Ashington completed the 'double' when Paul Davis scored the only goal of the game at Bedlington, who missed out on promotion. Other good wins that season included home victories against Norton (5-1), Horden (4-1) and League runners up Langley Park Welfare (1-0). West Auckland won Division Two, but couldn't beat the Colliers with both games ending 1-1.
1990-91 NORTH-2 36 14 6 16 47 68 48 12/19
1991/92
Just like last season, the Colliers couldn't find any good run of form and finished in the same position as the year before - twelfth. Gretna won Division 1 and Stockton were promoted as Champions of the Second. Ashington gained derby wins at home to newly relegated Alnwick Town (3-0) and a superb 3-0 victory at Bedlington Terriers, who finished the season second bottom with only Willington below them. Notable victories for Ashington at Portland Park included a 4-2 win against Darlington Cleveland Bridge and a 4-2 win against Horden. On their travels the Colliers gained good wins at Willington and Shotton (both 3-1), Horden (4-1) and Ryhope (2-1).
1991-92 NORTH-2 38 13 9 16 50 69 48 12/20
1992/93
A much improved season for the Colliers saw them end up in eighth place at the end of the season. Dunston Federation were crowned Division Two Champions scoring an unbelievable 139 goals in their 38 games, finishing on 95 points, nearly forty more than the Colliers! Bedlington Terriers were again on the end of a derby thrashing, losing 4-0 at Portland Park. The Colliers also gained good home wins against Darlington CB (4-0) and Shotton (7-3) as well as a 5-1 home win against Norton & Stockton Ancients 5-1 thanks to goals by Kev Harmison, Humble, Broady and 2 from Biff Borthwick.
The Ashington side that day was:
Boon, Newton, M. Harmison, Smith, K. Harmison, Rogerson, McClenn, Borthwick, Humble, McKenzie, Warham.
Sub - Broady.
Away from Portland Park the Colliers gained notable wins at Ryhope (5-2), Darlington CS (3-1) and Evenwood (4-2).
1992-93 NORTH-2 38 17 5 16 77 70 56 8/20
1993/94
With things looking on the up, no one could predict what was in store for the new season. An awful start results wise caused disarray at Portland Park With the club in a financial mess off the pitch, things hit rock bottom on the pitch when the Colliers were unable to raise a team for a match at Crook with the club handed a heavy fine. As a result the entire committee resigned and after a public meeting, a new committee was formed and manager Keith Grant arrived to lift the club to third bottom from rock bottom by May. The new committee made improvements to the ground, including the reinstated floodlights. To celebrate this turn around a group of fans launched the highly acclaimed 'Pit Pony Express' fanzine in April 1994.
Ashington ended the season with 24 points (after 3 were deducted) with eight victories. Only Ryhope and Horden finished below Ashington at the end of the season. The home wins were against:
Horden CW (2-1), Shotton (2-0), Washington (1-0) and Willington (3-0).
Away wins were achieved at:
Billingham Town (2-1), Darlington CS (3-2), Norton (3-2) and Washington (2-1).
Some of that seasons terrible results included defeat against Easington away (0-7), Langley Park away (1-7), Bedlington at home (2-6) and Darlington CS at home (0-5).
1993-94 NORTH-2 36 8 3 25 46 100 24 * 17/19
1994/95
Another decent season for the Colliers, especially after the problems of the previous season, saw the Colliers finish in 7th position at the end of the season. Saturday, October 22nd saw the Colliers destroy Langley Park Sports & Social United 9-3 at Brandon with four goals by debutant Stephen Adams. Ashington also won at Craik Park against newly promoted local rivals Morpeth Town, but lost the home game 1-2.
Notable home wins in 94/95 included Horden (7-1), Evenwood (4-1) and Langley Park (6-4). On their travels Ashington gained good wins at Evenwood (5-1), Shotton (4-2) and Brandon (2-1).
1994-95 NORTH-2 38 19 2 17 77 66 59 7/20
1995/96
Another good season for the Colliers saw them finish sixth in the table. Local rivals Morpeth Town were crowned Division 2 Champions. The Colliers finished on 63 points and would have been closer to the promotion places if away form had been better. One amazing game at Portland Pak saw visitors Esh Winning use three goalkeepers following the dismissals of keeper Alan Tatters and replacement (left back) John Kelly, both for professional fouls on Gary Caldow. Ashington won 5-0 through Kevin Harmison (2 penalties), Mark Thompson 2 and Mark Broady.
Other notable home wins that season-included victories against Easington (5-1), Shotton (5-2) and Willington (3-0) and away good wins were achieved at Ryhope (2-0) and Esh Winning (2-1).
1995-96 NORTH-2 36 18 9 9 66 48 63 6/19
1996/97
After an opening day loss at Willington, the Colliers were in home action against Eppleton CW. The Colliers won the game 7-0 thanks to goals by Dawson 2, Caldow 2 and Foster 3. The Ashington side that day was:
Barron, Anderson, Stocks, Ness, Harmison, Sampson, Davison, Dawson, Caldow, Foster, Matthews.
Subs - Barker, Hanlon.
Ashington were defeated 4-5 by Ashfield at home in the FA Cup despite a Greg Peary hat-trick. Tadcaster beat Ashington in the Vase (2-3), before the Colliers destroyed local rivals Alnwick Town on Tuesday, 24th September 1996, 6-1 away thanks to goals by Burton, Caldow 3 and Barker 2.
At the end of the season Ashington finished in a superb 4th place, just missing out on promotion by 4 points. Northallerton were crowned Champions and went up alongside Billingham Town and Jarrow Roofing. Darlington Cleveland social resigned from the League after losing 1-16 to Horden when people in the crowd were asked to play to make 11 players. They had already lost every game before that including three 6-1 defeats.
Good home wins for the Colliers came against Eppleton (7-0), Esh Winning (5-1), Jarrow (2-0) and Willington (3-0). Good away wins at Ferryhill (8-2) and Brandon (4-3) weren't enough as indifferent away form cost Ashington promotion.
1996-97 NORTH-2 36 22 5 9 71 38 71 4/19
1997/98
At the start of the season the Colliers were hoping to finish in the top 3 after coming so close the season previously. Early in the season Ashington gained a superb 5-2 victory at home to Brandon United thanks to goals by Greg Peary 3, Gary Caldow and Warren Dawson. The team that day was:
Fairbairn, Rogerson, Anderson, Burton, Laidlaw, Sampson, Peary, Bell, Caldow, Dawson, Farrell.
Sub - Bateman.
Ashington continued their good form and gained another good victory at home to Peterlee Newtown, winning 5-0 with goals by Chivers, Burgess, Priest, smith and Peary. The Ashington team that day was:
Fairbairn, Harmison, Rogerson, Priest, Nixon, Laidlaw, Peary, Burgess, Chivers, Smith, Dawson.
Subs - Gallagher, Anderson.
Other good home victories included Esh Winning (5-1), Willington (5-1) and Eppleton (4-0). On the road Ashington gained notable wins at Hebburn (3-0), Washington (6-1) and eventual Champions Chester-le-Street Town (1-0). Ashington finished the season in fifth place with 61 points, let down again by a pretty poor away record.
1997-98 NORTH-2 36 18 7 11 75 52 61 5/19
1998/99
Ashington started the new season with a 1-1 draw at Norton followed by a derby win at home to Alnwick Town with Scott on target. Indifferent results followed before the Colliers met Murton at Portland Park on 24th, October 1998. The Colliers ran put 8-0 winners thanks to goals by Warren Dawson (2), Simon Waldock (2), Greame McCabe, Kane Young, Mark Broady and James Harmison. The side that day was:
Glass, J. Harmison, McCabe, Rogerson, Metcalf, Scott, Anderson, Bell, Purvis, Waldock, Young.
Subs - Dawson, Broady.
Despite disappointing league results, the Colliers advanced in the Craven cup winning first at home to Whickham 3-2 with goals by Young, Peary and Chivers. In the next Round Ashington defeated Brandon Utd 5-4 on penalties and in the semi-finals the Colliers defeated run away League Champions Durham City 1-0 thanks to a Simon Waldock winner. The final was played at Brandon with Evenwood Town the opposition. An extra time winner by Waldock won Ashington their first trophy in 19 long years. The team that day was:
Neil Fairbairn, Adrian Metcalf, Greame McCabe, Steven Darling, Iain Scott, Phil Nixon, Lee Anderson, Andrew Purvis, Simon Waldock, Anthony Wright, James Harmison.
Ashington finished 11th in the League with other good home wins against Esh Winning (4-1), Hebburn (3-0) and Ryhope (3-0). Away Ashington achieved good wins at Eppleton (2-0), Norton (6-0) and Ryhope (3-0).
1998-99 NORTH-2 36 14 9 13 64 47 51 11/19
1999/2000
Despite scoring 92 goals and only conceding 36, Ashington only finished 9th position, but were only 9 points behind promoted Hebburn Town. Ashington finished with the second best goal difference in the League after massive wins against Eppleton at home (10-0), Evenwood at home (9-0) and away (8-0) and Murton at home (8-0) and away (7-0). Other convincing wins included home victories against Norton (5-1) and Ryhope (4-1) with other good away wins achieved at Eppleton (4-0), Hebburn (4-1), Prudhoe Town (5-1).
In an amazing game at Penrith the Colliers went 2-0 down after goals by Martyn Currie and Tim Bell before a Steve Robson double pulled the score back to 2-2. Shaun Lister then put Penrith ahead once gain with the score at 3-2 before Ross Atkinson equalised to make the score 3-3. Robson then put Ashington 4-3 in front to complete his hat-trick and give the Colliers their first lead of the game before Alan Hogg found the net with the game ending:
Penrith……………3
Currie, Bell, Lister
Ashington………...5
Robson (3), Atkinson, Hogg
At the end of the season manager John Connelly left to take over at Scottish Football League side Queen of the South taking a number of players over the border with him. Cecil Irwin was appointed manager for the new season.
1999-00 NORTH-2 36 17 10 9 92 37 61 9/19