By Brian Bennett
Picture the scene! Ashington are desperately trying to avoid relegation from the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League. In their penultimate home clash of the season against Heaton Stannington on Bank Holiday Monday, they miss an early penalty; go a goal behind, then after equalising, conjure up a winner scored by Wilson Kneeshaw – who is an artist!
Not only that. The 31 year old, who returned to the club recently, revealed afterwards that he has made his Ashington comeback – after defying the advice of a doctor.
The Darlington-born forward – wearing a broad smile – said: “I’m happy to be back. I don’t know if anyone knows but I was told by the doctor at the start of the season that I shouldn’t play again after experiencing reoccurring problems with my achilles. I took some time off and cleared my head and pretty much decided not to play as the doctor told me if I was to keep playing, I would be walking with a cane in five years – so I thought okay. However, after Marc Ellison and Karl Ross took over at Ashington, they both got onto me and I also know a lot of the lads at the club who are great. They kept messaging me asking if I wanted to help out. I think there were eight games left when I re-joined the club and I’m unbeaten since I’ve played with two draws, two wins and two goals!”
Kneeshaw – who was brought down in the area in the second minute from which Josh Gilchrist had a penalty saved by Heaton Stannington ‘keeper Lewis Brass – elaborated on how his winning goal in the 77th minute came about: “The game plan was for us to get down the sides and obviously with the bit of pace which I’ve got, we tried to exploit them (Heaton Stannington) down the wings. On this occasion, we got in (down the side) and Louis Burns has played the ball to me. As everyone has come across, I’ve chopped onto my left foot and stuck it away in the bottom corner with quite a good finish.”
He added: “It’s nice to help the team – I hadn’t played football for ten months before I came back – and it took me a while to get my legs going a little bit. Obviously I’m trying to contribute and that’s two goals in the last two games I’ve played so I can’t complain.”
Kneeshaw – who has had no adverse reaction to his injury – went on: “We’ve got three games left and I’m enjoying it. The good thing from my point of view is that I know I can help the lads out and I’ve not have any pain from my achilles. I’m not saying the doctor was wrong – but obviously I’ve got to try and manage my body a little bit better now. Things are going well – I haven’t had any problems so far – and I’d like that to continue.”