Ashington AFC in the Northern League: 2nd Division Champions 2001
After John Connelly's move up across the border to manage Scottish Football League side Queen of the South, Ashington were without a manager and a number of first team players that made the move North with Connelly. The players joining Connelly at QOTS included Ross Atkinson, Jon Sunderland and Phil Nixon. This left new manager Cecil Irwin and his assistant Eric Tait to bring in a large number of players to add to the small squad left that included Alan Hogg, Steve Robson, Lee Anderson, Adrian Metcalf and Greame McCabe.
Irwin brought in a number of new players for the new season with winger Alex Lawson joining from Newbiggin CW and former Blyth Spartans, Gretna and Newcastle Blue Star defender Marc Irwin also joining. Others came in just in time for the opening day of the season on Saturday, August 19th 2000 when the Colliers made the trip to Filtrona Park to play South Shields.
An amazing game ended with the Colliers winning 4-3 thanks to goals by Hogg (2), Robson and Lawson. The team on the opening day of the season was:
Watson, Ballantyne, Anderson, Atwell, Irwin, Ritchie, Johnson, Beharall, Hogg, Robson, Lawson.
Ashingtons first home game of the season saw Esh Winning making the trip to Portland Park, with another goal fest ending in the Colliers favour as the game ended 3-2 to the home side with goals by Irwin, Hogg and Lawson. August 26th saw the Colliers on their travels again with a visit to Horden CW. Another high scoring game ended 5-3 to Ashington with goals by Hogg (2), Robson and a double strike by winger Ian Johnson.
Monday, 28th of August saw the Colliers away again with a trip to Murton. A completely one sided game saw the Collier win 12-1, a superb performance by everyone in the team with goals by Robson, Priest, doubles by Hogg and Lawson and hat-tricks by Johnson and substitute Davison. The team that day was:
Watson, Anderson, Ballantyne, Beharall, McCabe, Irwin, Johnson, Ritchie, Hogg, Robson, Lawson.
Subs used - Armstrong, Priest, Davison.
This meant Ashington had 12 points out of a possible 12 and had scored a huge 24 goals in just 4 games!
After a defeat at Whitley Bay in the FA Cup, the Colliers won their fifth League game in a row with a 2-1 win away at Shotton Comrades. One week later the Colliers were away again, but could only draw at Norton with the game ending 1-1 with Irwin on the scoresheet.
One week after the Colliers lost for the first time in the League, going down 1-2 at Penrith. This was followed by another defeat, his time at home to Billingham, Town 1-3 in the FA Vase, before thrashing Washington Ikeda Hoover 4-1 away in the ANL Cup thanks to goals by Robson (2), Lawson and one from central defender Andy Armstrong. After a great start to the season in the League, the Colliers fell to another ANL Division 2 defeat with Thornaby winning 3-1 at Portland Park making it two league defeats on the bounce. This was followed by yet another loss as Ashington went out of the Craven Cup after a 1-2 loss at South Shields. This was the Colliers fourth defeat in five matches going into a derby match against Alnwick Town.
Ashington finally got turned their League form around routing Alnwick 4-1 at Portland Park thanks to goals by Lee Anderson, Hogg, Robson and substitute Wayne Rigg. The team that day was:
Dunn, Anderson, McCabe, Niblo, Armstrong, Irwin, Davison, Ritchie, Hogg, Robson, Lawson.
Subs Used - Rigg, Beharall.
One week later saw the Colliers visiting Northallerton Town with former Morpeth and Bedlington goalkeeper Paul Simpson in goal making his Colliers debut. An entertaining game in North Yorkshire ended 2-2 with Hogg netting again. This was followed by a heavy home defeat in the Northumberland Senior Cup as Whitley Bay won 5-2 at Portland Park against an understrength Colliers side.
Back in the ANL, Ashington won 4-0 at Eppleton CW thanks to goals by Johnson, Hogg and Robson (2). One week later the Colliers fell to a shock 1-2 home defeat against Kenneck Ryhope CA with Hogg on target for Ashington, his 14th goal of the season. In the ANL Cup, Blue Star won 2-1 at the Wheatsheaf against Ashington. This was followed by a 2-0 home win on the 25th of November against Whickham thanks to goals by Hogg (his 15th of the season) and Robson. This was the star strikers final game of the season for Ashington as he left Portland Park to join up with former Colliers manager John Connelly at Queen of the South. The Whickham game also saw the return of midfielder Ross Atkinson, back from a spell in the Scottish Football League. Gary Caldow returned to the club as a temporary replacement for Hogg.
Bad weather brought the ANL to a standstill and the Colliers only game in December was on the 23rd of the month - nearly a MONTH after the previous game. The game, at Willington, ended 1-1.
The first game of 2001 saw Horden CW visitors to Portland Park. Two goals by Steve Robson resulted in a 2-0 win as Ashington's push for promotion continued. The other sides at the top were Washington Ikeda Hoover, Thornaby-on-Tees, Horden CW, Esh Winning and Northallerton Town. On the 13th of January, the Colliers were victorious again in the ANL winning 2-1 at home to Murton with Ross Atkinson amongst the goals. One week later Norton were thrashed 5-0 at Portland Park with goals by Atkinson, Carl Porter, Lawson and Robson (2).
Saturday, January 27th saw the Colliers make the trip to Tony Harrison's Prudhoe Town. The home side included future Ashington players Jeff Pogson and Marc Nash. Ashington ran out 2-0 winners with goals by Atkinson and Robson. Two weeks later Ashington put on one of their best displays of the season, destroying promotion rivals Thornaby 4-1 away thanks to goals by Beharall, Lawson and two by Robson. The team that day was:
Simpson, Anderson, Ritchie, Beharall, McCabe, Irwin, Johnson, Atkinson, Lawson, Robson, Porter.
Subs used - McDonald, Main, Caldow.
One week later the Colliers defeat Cumbrian side Penrith 4-2 at Portland Park in a great game. Goals by Atkinson, Lawson, Robson and substitute John McDonald secured another three points. Three days later Shildon came from behind to win 2-1 at Portland Park in a controversial game that saw Johnson open the scoring before Irwin was sent off. Shildon took advantage of the extra man and won to put a dent in Ashington's title ambitions. A 0-0 draw at Ryhope followed in a game that saw striker Greg Peary make his return to the Colliers after a few years away. Three days later high flying Washington Ikeda Hoover made the trip to Portland Park with the top of the table clash ending 2-2 with Lawson and Robson finding the net.
Saturday, 17th March saw Evenwood Town at Portland Park in a must win game for Ashington. A magnificent performance by the team saw the Colliers run out 7-1 winners thanks to goals by Paul Main, Lawson, Peary (2) and an Ian Johnson hat-trick. The side that day was:
Simpson, Anderson, Ritchie, Beharall, McCabe, Irwin, Johnson, Atkinson, Peary, Robson, Lawson.
Subs used - Main
Three days later the Colliers defeated Whickham 2-0 with goals by Greg Peary and Steve Robson. Saturday, 24th March saw Ashington demolish South Shields 5-2 at Portland Park thanks to goals by Johnson, Peary (2) and Robson (2). Three days later, another midweek game due to the bad weather in the winter saw Northallerton Town win 2-1 at Portland Park in torrential rain and in the middle of foot and mouth disease - Alex Lawson scored the Colliers goal.
Ashington got their season back on track with a 3-1 win at home to Willington with goals by Atkinson, Peary and Lawson. Eppleton CW then visited NE63 and found themselves 3-0 down after only ten minutes thanks to goals by Peary, Lawson and a Marc Irwin overhead kick. Eppleton managed to keep Ashington out during the rest of the game and pulled one back late on to make the final score 3-1 to Ashington.
Saturday, 14th April saw Tony Harrison bring his Prudhoe Town side to Portland Park. The squad included Pogson and Nash. Robson turned in an Anderson cross to give Ashington the lead, Andy Armstrong headed in a Lawson corner to make it 2-0 before Prudhoe pulled one back. On came Steven Sinclair for his debut, replacing Peary, and he drilled in a 20 yard effort with his first touch to make the final score 3-1 to the Colliers. The team that day was:
Simpson, Anderson, Ritchie, Porter, Armstrong, Irwin, Johnson, Atkinson, Peary, Robson, Lawson.
Sub used - Sinclair.
The next game saw Ashington win 3-1 for the fourth game running, this time at Shildon. Goals by Peary and Johnson (2) secured the three points. 4 days later the Colliers crashed 0-2 at championship rivals Washington IH meaning that the Colliers really had to win their last 4 games of the season to win the title with Washington and Thornaby also at the top.
Saturday, 28th April saw Shotton Comrades at Portland Park in Ashington's final home game of the season. A 5-0 win infront of a big crowd included one stunning effort by Ian Johnson who took pocession in his own area and ran the length of the pitch before rounding the keeper and scoring.
This meant the Colliers had to win their last three games of the season, all away. A 1-0 win at Esh Winning thanks to a Steve Robson penalty was followed by a 1-0 win at Evenwood Town with Sinclair on target meaning Ashington had achieved promotion.
The final game of the season was away to local rivals Alnwick Town on Friday 11th May. Washington's win the night before put them 2 points clear meaning the Colliers had to win to overtake Washington and be crowned Division 2 champions. A big crowd travelled North to St. James Park and an early 20 yard volley by captain Marc Irwin put Ashington into a 1-0 lead. More chances were wasted and it took a crude tackle by McCabe on the striker who was clean through in the last minute to keep the score the same. McCabe was sent off and Ashington held out to win 1-0 and win the 2nd Division title. The team that famous night was:
Simpson, Anderson, McCabe, Atkinson, Armstrong, Irwin, Johnson, Ritchie, Sinclair, Robson, Lawson.
Sub used - Porter.
Mike Amos handed over the Championship trophy and celebrations continued throughout the night!
The top 5 appearances that season were:
Steve Robson - 42
Alex Lawson - 41
Ian Johnson - 40
Scott Ritchie - 40
Marc Irwin - 39
Top 5 goalscorers were:
Steve Robson - 27
Ian Johnson - 16
Alan Hogg - 15
Alex Lawson - 12
Greg Peary - 8