Match Report

By Brian Bennett

What a time to turn in your worst performance of the season – which ironically coincided with halloween!

This indeed was an Ashington horror show with the players letting their healthy contingent of over 30 travelling supporters down big style.

The Colliers went into the contest at Sandygate – the Worlds oldest football ground – knowing that if they won and Grimsby lost at Morpeth, they would move out of the bottom four.

However they passed up on the opportunity as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Hallam.

Now with four of their next five league matches at Woodhorn Lane, the Wansbeck side have got to make home advantage count – but their first priority is to massively up their game.

One nil down early doors, there is no doubt that Oli Thompson’s miss in the first half was a game changer.

However Ashington’s second half showing was simply diabolical and although striker Noah Cunningham halved the deficit towards the end, the visitors got out of the contest exactly what they deserved.

With Hallam being away next Saturday, the Sheffield based club chose to pay their respects to Armistice Day and before kick off, as both teams and the officials stood around the centre circle, a couple of wreaths were laid on the pitch and a minutes silence was impeccably observed.

Ashington went into the contest boosted with back to back wins but it was the home side – kicking down the notorious slope – who showed plenty of steel and determination with the Colliers up against it from the first whistle.

The Countrymen flew out of the traps and within 90 seconds, Paddy Almond and Ryan Donaldson cleared efforts off the line.

However, in the seventh minute, Hallam’s pressure paid off as they took the lead with Jacob Priestnall unleashing a low right footed effort from 20 yards wide of ‘keeper Matty Alexander and inside the far post.

The Colliers were being pinned in and eventually when they got out of their own half, Dean Briggs had a shot which lacked power and was easily held by home ‘keeper Hugo Warhurst.

However, a massive turning point came just past the quarter hour mark when Thompson played a quick one-two with Cunningham which put the former clean through.

Thompson advanced but saw his effort deflect off Warhurst’s boot and onto the foot of the post before being cleared.

That was as good as it got from an Ashington perspective.

Before the interval, Richard Patterson set up a chance for Chaynie Burgin and it took a great block by Jude Cogdon to thwart him.

Early in the second period, Burgin narrowly failed to connect with a low cross from the right by Danai Rhule but in the 64th minute Ashington were dealt a hammer blow as Hallam added a second.

Dan Groves had only been on the field sixty seconds when his attempted clearance rebounded off Priestnall. Fortuitously it put the striker clean through and he took full advantage slotting the ball wide of Alexander.

Ashington were struggling to make an impact but in a brief spell, Ryan Wombwell clipped a left footer wide and Cunningham had a headed cleared off the line from a Josh Gilchrist corner.

However ten minutes from time, Hallam had a great opportunity to put the cherry on the cake.

Substitute Aris Cunha won possession but after rounding Alexander and with an open goal at his mercy, he stumbled which allowed the visitors to clear.

In stoppage time, Cunningham fired the ball into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit but for the Ashington fans, their sides’ showing was neither a trick nor a treat – it was simply awful.