By Brian Bennett
Ashington manager Marc Ellison was clearly ecstatic after watching his side tear an in-form Lincoln United side apart to record a convincing 4-1 win at Ashby Avenue on Tuesday night.
The boss saw his players arrest a run of five consecutive defeats with a brilliant team display highlighted by a hat-trick from striker Noah Cunningham.
The result also saw the Colliers extend their unbeaten run to three victories against ‘The Whites’ over two seasons.
From the first whistle, Ashington were all over their opponents like a rash and after a brace from Cunningham, went into the interval holding a 2-0 lead.
Within five minutes of the second half, the hosts pulled one back through skipper Elliott Dye but the Colliers clinched the result scoring two goals in five minutes through Cunningham and Josh Gilchrist.
Ellison said afterwards: “It was a tremendous performance. I told the players in training the other week that if they kept playing the way they were, they couldn’t be that unlucky. As I said at the weekend following the 2-1 loss against Silsden, we worked hard during the week on the formation and I thought it showed even more tonight than it did on Saturday. The shape was brilliant; we went long at the right times; we came short at the right times and you can’t ask for much more after a 4-1 result away from home at Lincoln on a Tuesday night.”
He continued: “I had mentioned that I was still looking for a complete performance – but I think I got that tonight. I’ll have to watch the game back to take it in a bit more but I was really pleased and it was probably the best performance since I came in as manager. I know we had a good result against Lincoln last season at home (6-3) but I think to travel all that way midweek tops it off.”
He added: “I’ve just said to the lads in the dressing room that tonight’s win means nothing because we are still where we are (in the relegation zone). Yes the result has been a long time coming and you’ve got to enjoy it. Since the start of the season, I’ve always said we’ll enjoy every point we get and if we play like that on Saturday at Bradford Park Avenue as we have done tonight, then we’ll give ourselves a chance. It’s a step in the right direction but to be honest, the performances barring probably two or three haven’t been drastic – we just haven’t been quite good enough on the day or individual errors have crept in.”
However, there will be no rest for Ellison’s squad as he explained: “I’m pleased for them all really (the players). They as well as myself, have taken a battering so it’s a really pleasing result but they won’t get the night off on Thursday – they’ll be in for training!”