By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner looked on as his outfit gave an under par display which culminated in a 2-0 home defeat against Consett at Woodhorn Lane on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.

And afterwards, the boss issued a no-nonsense message to his squad when he said: “Our performance today was nowhere near good enough – and I’ll not tolerate many more like that. People might read that and think that it is harsh given that we probably dominated the ball – but I just thought that in a nutshell we’ve played 97 minutes and haven’t had a shot on target. What we saw today was a Consett team who threw their bodies in the way and made it so difficult for us to score – then if you flip that over at the two goals which we have conceded, they are really, really soft – and that’s being polite. That’s already a catalogue of goals so far against us this season which are really soft and we need to work harder without the ball that’s for sure. If the truth be known, I’m frustrated, disappointed and annoyed and the key message from me today is that goals win games – it’s as simple as that. We could have played until training on Thursday night and not scored because our play was too slow.”

He continued: “Whenever we regained the ball, we didn’t move it quick enough, We try and play in a certain way but I thought when we got in the attacking half, we allowed Consett to get in behind the ball and it was similar to our game against Ossett. Albeit I thought we probably deserved something from the Ossett match for the chances we had but today we were too slow and too pedestrian in moving the ball in the attacking half. It’s very disappointing especially when we’ve come off the back of a good result on Saturday down at Stocksbridge and we really wanted to follow it up with a positive result at home because we’ve now played three games at Woodhorn Lane and have taken one point. The attendance was just under 700 today and we’ve had three fantastic crowds. They may be seeing us having a lot of the ball but we need to be creating more chances and being more clinical in the final third.”

He went on: “I don’t know if I jinked Mason Hardy after he scored the winner at Stocksbridge on Saturday. Following the game I said that he was one of the best finishers at the club. Today he’s had two huge chances – one a header then another with a clear sight at goal and he’s hit the post!”

The boss admitted to being in a ‘catch 22 situation’ ahead of the game: “In hindsight I probably should have changed one or two personnel and freshened the team up a little bit today,” he added, “Having played on Saturday then its really difficult because if you freshen it up and change it people will say ‘well you won on Saturday.’ So it was a catch 22 situation because if I changed the team and we didn’t get a positive result people would have said “why did you change it?” I didn’t change the team and we haven’t got a positive result and now people will look and say “They’ve played two games in three days” – so it’s a one of those.”

By Brian Bennett

Charlie Exley netted his second goal of the season for Ashington when he scored the opener with a header in their 2-1 win over Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday.

And the Newcastle-born left back admitted afterwards that he ‘backed’ himself to score: “It sounds like a cliché but I knew the ball was going to come to the back post and it was just a case of me timing my run right,” he said “I knew if I could get in behind, that I would hit the target and I’m always of the opinion that if I can get a half a yard on anyone, I’ll win the header. That may sound quite a confident and over arrogant thing to say – but I back myself to go with a header because I think people underestimate me for my size and today I got quite a good jump and timed it quite well.”

Exley thought Ashington’s ‘quality’ came to the fore: “As a defender clean sheets are what you want first and foremost and I think we nullified Stocksbridge a lot today forcing them to play long balls. Once we settled in different spells of the game, we showed our quality at times which ultimately got us the two goals and it was a massive win for us. Over the past few matches we have been quite unfortunate with little lapses in concentration which ultimately have been very costly but moving forward I think if we iron those out we’ll be a decent outfit.” The 23 year old also revealed that he is enjoying the rivalry for the left back spot with Jordan Summerly: “Its great competition I have with Jordan,” said Exley, “We know we have to play well with the other right behind – and it is going to make us better players. From my point of view when I’m on the park, it’s just a case of looking to be a constant threat and making sure I defend well.”

By Brian Bennett

Youngster Mason Hardy scored Ashington’s winner in the 2-1 result over Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday – and said that the super strike meant ‘the world to him.’

Charlie Exley headed the Colliers in front early in the contest in Sheffield but the hosts levelled with a penalty from Luke Rawson before Hardy struck just shy of the hour mark.

“It was my first goal for the club and it meant the world to me,” he commented afterwards, “but it was also great that we got the win and put three points on the board. When the chanced dropped to me, my aim was to lift the ball over the ‘keeper and hope that it would go in – and thankfully it all worked out well.”

The 18 year old added: “I thought we controlled the game well and it was just a case of trying to see the game out and get the points so at the end I was so happy.” Manager Ian Skinner said: “Mason hasn’t played too many minutes in games but in training what we see is his finishing ability which is second to none at the club and today his goal was sublime – a little chip with the outside of his foot. I was right behind his effort and the ball actually bounced outside of the post and spun in. It was a great finish and I’m delighted for Mason because he’s a lovely lad. He’s quite quiet but technically very, very good and some of his finishing in training is amazing.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner was cock-a hoop after watching his side pick up a 2-1 victory over Stocksbridge Park Steels to claim their first league win of the season.

Reflecting on the performance in South Yorkshire, the boss described the win as being ‘vitally important’ – but that the points could and should have been sealed early doors.

“We have got our first win under our belts which was vitally important because albeit performances have been very good but we hadn’t got possibly the results we deserved from those other games,” he said, “so it was vitally important that we tried to get a win on the board as soon as we could. I thought we started the game really brightly and to be honest, the contest should have been over by the first 15 minutes. We’ve scored a brilliant goal following a good passage of play where we were patient and looked after the ball and worked it out wide to Oli Thompson, He has jinked inside – which we know he can do – then delivered a great ball to the back post and Charlie Exley has nodded it in. Following that, we’ve had two massive chances with Wilson (Kneeshaw) through one on one. He’s had a little bit of a stuttery touch on the first one which allowed the ‘keeper to get really close to him and smother it out and then for the second, it’s a great run by Wilson and a super through ball in behind. Wilson is through again and he bends it around the ‘keeper but it goes just the wrong side of the post – but really that should have been game over.”

He continued: “Two minutes after that we find ourselves hauled back to ones each and it’s frustrating. However, that’s the difference with the league we have moved into because if you make mistakes, you get punished and we need to have that bit of a killer instinct really. In similar respects to the match against Stockton last week, after Stocksbridge equalised, they came into the game and we lost our way a little bit so everything we had done really, really well in the opening quarter of an hour, we struggled to do. We became loose and sloppy in possession; we gave the ball away cheaply and they had a couple of half decent chances – albeit we always looked dangerous on the break.”

Skinner talked about the word ‘confidence’: “I was really disappointed how we started the second half,” he added, “Stocksbridge certainly came out the better outfit and if the truth be know, we scored our second against the run of play. Again Wilson (Kneeshaw) dropped into that little pocket of space and played a great ball in behind for Mason Hardy who finished it off well. Then confidence comes oozing back and what we have got to remember is that we are a relatively young side. When they (Stocksbridge) got the penalty in the first half to equalise, our confidence drained a little bit but when we scored the goal to go back in front, the confidence came back and they (the players) wanted the ball again and we had a couple of spells whereby we kept possession well.” He went on: “Stocksbridge were a constant threat from set plays – an aspect which is a massive part of this league we have gone into. Teams look to utilise it and we are not the biggest or physically the strongest side so I was pleased with the way we defended those set plays and managed the game out really. It made our journey home easier with a ‘W’ (win) in the column and if we can follow that up with another ‘W’ on Monday (against Consett), then all of a sudden two wins on the board makes it a real positive start to the season.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner was naturally disappointed after his side went down to a 1-0 defeat against Ossett United at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday night.

However, the boss said afterwards, that apart from his outfit needing to learn quickly after conceding poor goals and being more ruthless in the final third, there were lots of things to be pleased with: “I thought we started the game quite brightly and we probably should have been ahead after we fashioned a couple of very good chances,” he commented, “There seemed to be a scramble and we had two or three opportunities inside the space of a few seconds – the Ossett ‘keeper (Joe Green) has done well – and we’ve then hit the bar.”

Skinner admitted that he had missed what turned out to be the only goal of the game: “I turned to speak to somebody as they scored,” he said, “I’ve had their goal described to me but by all accounts it was a disappointing one to concede in terms of a direct ball that’s bounced and the striker has ran onto it – and even then he hasn’t hit it cleanly from what I’m led to believe. Our ‘keeper Karl Dryden has made one save right at the death at the end of the first half where he has pushed the ball out, other than that, he hasn’t had anything to do – but the goal has ultimately cost us to be honest.”

He continued: “For the first 25 minutes, I thought we were very, very good and created some really good opportunities and on another day would have taken one of them. Second half I thought there were lots and lots of things to be pleased with. We must have had 75-80 per cent possession; we’ve flashed the ball across the goal; we’ve put shots wide and the Ossett ‘keeper has made a couple of decent saves. Then Jordan Summerly has done brilliantly to get to the by line and cut the ball back and you’re just waiting for the net to ripple but Wilson Kneeshaw has hit his shot towards the goal and it has struck the ‘keeper on the shoulder – and at that point you start to think ‘maybes it’s not going to be our night.’ Maybes the last couple of games we haven’t had the rub of the green and you think that luck is not on your side – but sometimes you create your own luck.”

He added: “All in all really there were lots to be pleased with but the biggest thing is that it’s two home games now where we have had to go chasing the game and I think what supporters have witnessed tonight, they’ll witness week in week out in this league in terms of most teams play direct; most teams look to get up in the game and when they do that, they look to manage it. There was a spell where we were on top in the second half for about ten minutes then they (Ossett) must have stopped the play every attack. That took the momentum away from us and I was a little bit disappointed there wasn’t a few more minutes added on than the seven that were.”

He went on: “Ultimately to sum it up – it was a poor goal which we conceded which we need to learn from quickly because that’s a number (of poor goals) which we have leaked so far this season in the three matches (two league games and one cup game) whilst we just need to be that little bit more ruthless in the final third.” On Saturday (August 26), Ashington travel to face Stocksbridge Park Steels then on Bank Holiday Monday (August 28), the Colliers take on Consett at Woodhorn Lane (3pm): “We’ll need to check on a few players because we had a couple who had fitness tests before the Ossett game tonight – some played and some didn’t,” he said, “We’ll need to assess the overall picture because we have played tonight (Tuesday) then go again on Saturday and Monday making it three games in six days.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner could not hide his disappointment on Saturday after Kev Hayes had knocked the Colliers out of this season Emirates FA Cup with a goal deep into stoppage time.

Hosts Stockton won the game 2-1. Jordan Summerly put Ashington ahead but home skipper Adam Nicholson levelled before the late drama.

However, Skinner said that the game hinged on a big decision following the 87th minute dismissal of striker Scott Heslop. At the time the scores were locked at 1-1 and the possibly of a replay was on the horizon.

“Obviously we’re disappointed to go out of the Cup especially after conceding so late in the game,” said Skinner afterwards, “Overall I thought to be fair playing against a strong wind in the first half, we rode out luck a little bit in terms of some of the chances Stockton had. That said, on the break we had one or two good opportunities ourselves but we were pleased to come in 0-0 at half time if the truth be known.”

During the break, Skinner introduced Heslop for Cameron Gascoigne: “We thought we could hurt them (Stockton) a little bit with in the wind in our favour and we started the second half really brightly and managed to score from a set play which was good,” added the boss, “However, after that, I was probably a little bit disappointed in our performance. We like to get on the ball and move it and I just felt that at 1-0 we went to direct to quickly which played into Stockton’s hands. Their centre backs wanted the ball up in the air because they were big physical defenders against our small sprightly attackers – albeit Heslop is very good in the air and he caused them all sorts of problems up there. I just wanted us to stick to our process and principals of getting the ball and mixing the game up by playing short at times and playing long and I just felt we went to long to early. The ball was coming back and it turned into a game whereby we invited pressure as the game wore on. We got deeper and deeper because we were playing direct and we were having to get up and move 20, 30, 40 yards up the pitch. When the ball was coming back, we were having to recover 20, 30 yards – so the next time you tend to not go as far up and before you know it, you are ‘sitting in’ a little bit to deep -which I felt happened.”

He continued: “They scored almost a carbon copy goal of ours in terms of an in-swinging corner and a bit of a scramble and the officials have said the ball has crossed the line. At 1-1 you are probably thinking ‘let’s see if we can get a draw and bring them back to Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday’ – but it wasn’t to be. I just thought the unfortunate thing was that they have made the man extra count a little bit and we’ve been on the back foot. To be fair, Karl Dryden has made two or three excellent saves to keep us in it but we’ve just fallen short somewhat 90 seconds from the end. We spoke about not allowing Kev Hayes to cut in from the left which he likes to do and to be fair he’s cut in from the right and opened the goal up and bent one in at the near post.”

He went on: “Overall I probably thought on chances they had a few more than us and Karl Dryden has made more saves than their keeper. But Yannick Aziakonou had a header at the back post; Heslop a header at the near post and Dylan Archer has hit one high towards the top corner which the ‘keeper has palmed around – but the game hinged on a big decision really (the sending off of Scott Heslop).

The result extended Ashington’s winless run at the ground: “It’s strange how it happens in football in terms of even at the very highest level you see teams go to certain grounds and they just can’t seem to get a result – and Stockton seems to be an unhappy hunting ground for us – and it’s proved the case again today,” he added, “Whilst there are other grounds I can think of where we go and we don’t fail to get a result.”
Skinner explained his plans were hit 48 hours before the cup tie: “We were dealt a big blow on Thursday when we lost Charlie Exley, Craig Spooner and Max Emmerson – all through injury,” he said, “Two of those started against Brighouse last week and one came on and had a big impact on the game. Today I thought Jordan Summerly came back in and was excellent as were a couple of others but I think Tuesday will come to soon for Exley, Spooner, Emmerson and Nathan Buddle.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner, reflecting on the 3-0 defeat by Workington in his sides final warm up game ahead of Saturday’s curtain raiser in the Emirates FA Cup against North Shields, said he believed “there were lots of things to be pleased about.”

Skinner commented: “In the early part of the game, I thought we caused Workington one or two problems where they hadn’t really managed to get to grips with how we were trying to play and set up. We started quite brightly and were taking the ball in tight areas and looked comfortable to move it but probably the story of the game was our playing out and build up play which was really good. However, I just thought we got into some great areas beyond their midfield and in front and behind their defence but we were a little bit loose and a little bit slack in the final third. For all the good play that we did have, my criticism or downside is that we didn’t threaten the goal anywhere near enough as we should have done.”

He continued: “We came in at half time 2-0 down and both goals were really poor to concede. The first is a long range effort where we haven’t got out and closed the ball – but it actually came from us giving the ball away in a really good position in their half. The second is an individual mistake as was the third – and I take some of the responsibility for that because of what I am asking the players to do and the way they are trying to do it and I’d far rather they made mistakes today and learn from them if they were to be in the same situation this Saturday.”

He went on: “The three goals were avoidable – other than that I don’t think our goalkeepers have had to make what you would label as brilliant saves. Ross Coombe made a stop in the first half where he saved the ball with his legs whilst at the other end we haven’t worked their goalkeeper anywhere near enough. Second half when they (Workington) got to grips a little bit with how we were playing, they’ve probably been a little bit stronger than us and then a whole host of changes from both teams really disrupted the flow and I thought we just got a little bit loose towards the end. Even some of the good build up and approach play we had seen in the first half started to become a bit sloppy and in the end the game petered out a little bit and it became about managing minutes – but overall it was a really good work out.” He concluded: “I’ve got to say a big thank you to Workington for making the travel across and giving us the game and hopefully it was beneficial for them as well. I thought there were lots of things to be pleased about in our performance whilst there were also things to work on – like our creating and finishing in the opposition’s final third and cutting out or minimising those little mistakes which have cost us goals today.”

By Brian Bennett

Top FIFA, UEFA and Premier League referee Michael Oliver has been in charge of prestige matches over the years – but on Friday August 4, he will be the man in the middle at his hometown football club.

Ashington FC host ‘An evening with Michael Oliver’ in their clubhouse and tickets – priced at £17 which includes a pie and peas supper – are selling well.

Oliver is looking forward to the event and said: “It was nice to see Ashington have such a successful season last year and hopefully the club can kick on again but it is also pleasing to see how well they have developed under the leadership of chairman Brian Shotton, manager Ian Skinner and all of the volunteers.”

He continued: “Obviously it’s nice to come back to Ashington and hopefully the evening will help to raise funds. I’m looking forward to it”

Anyone interested in buying a ticket can purchase from:

https://ashingtonafc.ktckts.com/event/2324aewmo/an-evening-with-michael-oliver

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner said he was ‘most definitely delighted and overall thoroughly pleased’ with the performance from his players after the 0-0 draw against Morpeth Town at Craik Park on Saturday.

Skinner commented: “Obviously it’s the first pre season game we’ve had against higher ranked opposition, It was good that the lads still stuck to the process; the system and the style in which we are trying to play and what today will do subconsciously is that it will show that the way we are trying to play works regardless of the opposition. I thought we dominated the ball for spells; I certainly thought we created the better opportunities and the only slight disappointment is that we haven’t taken some of them – and on another day if we had, we probably would have won the game.”

He continued: “I don’t get carried away with pre season results and what I’m pleased with is the minutes we have got into people. We have pushed players through 70, 75, and 80 minutes today which we needed to do. I also thought the way in which we looked after the ball and moved the ball and rotated position to cause the opposition problems worked really well. I was most definitely delighted with the performance – and overall, I was thoroughly pleased.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner – reflecting on his sides 3-2 win over Whitley Bay at Hillheads on Saturday – reckons he can ‘start to see things coming together’

Monsoon weather conditions coupled with thunder and lightening preceded the game but the contest got underway on time.

The Colliers were 3-0 up at one stage with a brace of goals from Dan Maguire and a trialist before the Seahorses netted twice in the final ten minutes through Josh Gilchrist and Cameron Brewis.

The new campaign is just over a couple of weeks away and Skinner re-iterated that he never gets fazed over pre season results. However he said: “It was an excellent workout against Whitley Bay today but the most pleasing aspect for me was that I can see how things are coming together a little bit in terms of how we are trying to play which is slightly different from last season. There were lots to appreciate in terms of the structure and process as well as the principals which we are trying to apply.”

He continued: “I thought Whitley Bay began the brighter of the two sides and they should have taken the lead after three or four minutes when it was probably harder to hit the bar – which they did – rather than score. After that we grew into the game, netted a good goal through Maguire – and after that I thought we looked relatively comfortable.”

He continued “Second half we began well, added a second goal – again from Maguire -then started to make changes – and we tried to do these in smaller chunks because it does disrupt the flow. A young trialist who has just been released from Carlisle came on and scored our third but from 3-0 up I was slightly disappointed with the two goals we conceded. We have worked quite a bit now on what we call the ‘build up phases’ where we get the ball and play and that was really pleasing. We haven’t done too much about the final third or working out of possession which was probably evident today and I would have liked us to have shown a bit more game management but as I stated last week, I don’t get hung up on results.”

Skinner then gave a glowing tribute to hosts Whitley Bay: “I’d like to thank them for their hospitality which was first class,” he added, “It was good to see their manager Nicky Gray whilst I had a lovely conversation with chairman Paul McIlduff and I’ve just spotted Jennifer Breakwell who is their treasurer out of the corner of my eye so I’ll go and have a word or two with her. I helped Whitley Bay out for a short spell some years ago and it is a place I like going to because of the relationship I have with the club.”