By Brian Bennett
Manager Nick Gray has described Ashington’s opening sequence of fixtures in the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League as presenting his players with ‘a challenging start.’
The Colliers begin the season on Saturday week (August 2) when they meet Shildon in the extra preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup – which throws up a repeat of last season’s curtain raiser at the same stage of the competition when the Wansbeck side came from behind to secure a 4-1 win.
However, with the Durham club undergoing work on a new 3G pitch, the match will be played at Consett’s Belle View Stadium.
The NPL programme gets underway on Saturday August 9 with Nick Gray’s side making the journey along the east coast to face Bridlington Town before they play their first game at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday (August 12) against Bishop Auckland.
However, supporters are sure to have looked at when the two derby games against Blyth Spartans are to take place – with the match at Croft Park on August Bank Holiday Monday and the return at Woodhorn Lane on Boxing Day.
Gray – speaking from Ibiza where he was enjoying a mini break – said: “It’s a challenging start and I’m looking forward to it. In the league, we’ve got three local teams in the first five games – Bishop Auckland, Dunston and Blyth Spartans. We realised last year that there are no easy games and the first month is all about getting points on the table. Your first point; your first win – and the quicker you can get them the easier it gets.”
Gray is eager for his side – which admittedly includes new players – to learn from last season’s disappointing defeat at Bridlington: “We go to Bridlington first game of the season which still sticks in my mind from last season,” he said, “If we had got a result down there we would have been safe – but we didn’t losing 3-1 – and on the day Bridlington were far better than us and we need to remember that and learn from it. However, the lads have been training hard, and they’ll be chomping at the bit. We’ve still got a small squad and need to add to it which we will do, but the players we have got are good quality and any new additions who we bring in have got to meet the criteria that we want.”
He continued: “Like I have already said on record, the worst time is the close season followed by pre-season and you just want to get the campaign started. The games come thick and fast during the first month with Saturdays, Tuesdays and Bank Holidays and every team is up for it.”