Match Report

By Brian Bennett

There were several aspects that contributed into making Ashington’s Woodhorn Lane ground an emotional roller coaster on Saturday.

Firstly, it was manager Ian Skinner’s final league game in charge and coincidentally it was his birthday. His players made sure that he had a day which he will never forget with a deserved 2-0 victory over North Ferriby before the icing on the cake came when they formed a guard of honour for their boss.

A home win would simply see the Colliers end their league campaign in 14^th position whilst even three points could not propel their visitors into a play off spot. Consequently the game fell into the category of being a nothing to play for ‘dead rubber’ – but what transpired was an entertaining game of football between the two sides on a pleasant spring afternoon.

The Colliers ought to have gone ahead after only 90 seconds. Connor Thomson outstripped his marker for pace down the right flank and when he pulled the ball back, Dan Maguire jinked one way then the other before laying the ball into the path of Ben Sampson but he fired over from 16 yards.

Ferriby then got in behind the home defence and when Amir Berchil drove in a cross towards the near post it was cleared by the foot of ‘keeper Ross Coombe.

In the 13^th minute the Wansbeck side broke the deadlock – with a goal from Andrew Cartwright.

Sampson found Wilson Kneeshaw who did a tremendous amount of work inside the area before he found Cartwright and the full back floated the ball inside the far corner of the net.

If Cartwright’s finish was cool, calm and collected, Maguire’s strike ten minutes later – after he was set up by Kneeshaw – was venomous. However the striker looked on as his effort from the edge of the area smashed against the bar and was cleared.

In the second half, the Villagers threatened when four minutes after he had been introduced, a shot by Harry Lovick was cleared off the line by Coombe then a whipped free kick from the left touchline by Matty Dixon was glanced narrowly wide of the far post by Josh Whitley.

Consequently when Maguire rattled in Ashington’s second just past the half way mark in the period, the goal came at the right time.

Sampson linked with Kneeshaw who again did remarkably well as he performed a great turn on the by-line before he crossed. Skipper Karl Ross touched the ball back into the path of Maguire who lashed home into the top corner of the net from 12 yards.

As the game entered time added on, a right foot sizzler from 18 yards by substitute Paul Van-Zandvliet went narrowly over then Cartwright and Kneeshaw combined to set up sub Craig Spooner whose goalbound effort was headed off the line by Jack Walters.

After the final whistle, it was nice to see both teams and the match officials applauded by all supporters before Skinner made an emotional journey through the guard of honour.