By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington have two games remaining in the Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division before their rescheduled semi final tie against Newcastle United U21s in the semi final of the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup – and manager Ian Skinner admitted that it is difficult not to have an eye on the latter.

The Colliers make their final journey of the season on Saturday when they are away to Liversedge before pulling the curtain down with a home fixture the following weekend against North Ferriby.

The semi final date is booked for Thursday May 2 – and Skinner admitted that most people will be looking ahead to that clash “It’s probably wrong but the semi final tie – whereby we could end the season with a cup final – is what most people will be looking towards now,” he said, “We’ve secured our status at this level in the Northern Premier League East Division which is great and we still owe it to the clubs in and around us – and the teams we have still got to play – to make sure we take it serious and do things properly. However, it’s difficult not to have one eye on that cup tie now.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner saw his side go toe to toe with Hebburn Town on Thursday night – and take the lead – before the Hornets ran out 4-1 winners which saw them go to the top of the Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division table.

Apart from the result, the boss was happy that his outfit put indifferent performances in their last two games against Grantham Town and Winterton Rangers behind them: “I thought we started the game really well,” he said afterwards, “We were on the front foot; we played to our concepts; we dominated the ball; we caused them problems in behind and we deservedly went a goal in front through Connor Thomson. However, a big moment came when Connor was in again with an opportunity to make it 2-0 and the Hebburn ‘keeper (Kieran Hunter) has made a save. If Connor scores, we are looking at a real different game then four minutes later Hebburn equalise. Olly Martin has done really well cutting in off the line and listen it was a great finish into the far corner.”

He continued: “After that I was a little bit disappointed that we lost our way and didn’t quite carry out our concepts or play to the way in which we look to play. We started going direct and people weren’t quite as brave to get on the ball and we invited pressure – and when you invite pressure against good teams, they take it.”

Robbie Spence gave the home side the lead on the stroke of the interval and Skinner said: “In my opinion, it was a really, really soft free kick but once it was given we’ve got to defend it. Liam Noble has got good quality and he put the ball into a really dangerous area and they’ve scored which has seen us go into the interval 2-1 down and I thought it was harsh. I’m frustrated but I’m frustrated for good reasons; I’m frustrated because of how well we played and how we took the game to them and the problems we caused them. Then I’m also frustrated because we didn’t keep doing the things that caused them problems and we’ve allowed them back into the game.”

Two goals inside a quarter of an hour period during the second half took the game away from Ashington – but Skinner thought the final score line flattered the newly installed league leaders: “Second half we talked about being brave and again taking the game to them and I thought 4-1 flatters them (Hebburn) a little bit. But what I will say is that they were ruthless. Amar Purewal has capitalised on an individual error but he nevertheless took his goal really well and that’s why he’s comfortably the top scorer in the league. Then the young lad Leo Robinson has come on and again we haven’t tracked a run and the ball has dropped for him and he’s struck with a fantastically great finish.”

He continued: “We had a couple of half chances but what I was happy about was that we didn’t stop; we moved the ball and overall I was really pleased especially off the back of some iffy performances. Certainly our last two home games against Grantham and Winterton have been below the levels which we expect but I have said time and time again about this group of players that when there’s a challenge laid in front of them they usually step up to it. Looking at our results against all the teams in the top ten we’ve taken points off them all other than Stockton and that’s because this group of players relish a challenge. What has let us down a little bit is the inconsistency against the teams in and around us or below us when we haven’t taken the points which we should have done.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner believes that things are ‘not quite happening’ for his side at Woodhorn Lane as he reflected on the 0-0 draw against Winterton Rangers on Tuesday night.

It was the first game in six seasons on home turf where supporters had failed to see a goal and Skinner said afterwards: “Listen there was some harsh words said on Saturday after the defeat to Grantham and as a bare minimum today we wanted players to show some commitment and a desire to work hard. I thought they did that if I’m honest but in doing so, we probably lost a little bit of our quality. In our last three home games – other than the first half against Bridlington when I thought we were very good – its maybes not quite happening for us and I think people are now maybes taking the easy option of playing.”

He continued: “I thought we played awfully long tonight up to Wilson (Kneeshaw) and Connor (Thomson) and hoped for something to happen whereas previously we’ve probably worked the ball through the thirds a little bit more and moved it (the ball) quick and looked purposeful in possession. Tonight we got graft but not much guile. I thought we worked hard both in and out of possession but lacked a bit of quality and composure and calmness in possession. We turned the ball over a little bit too much particularly in the second half when it became a bit of a game of basketball. Winterton had two runners running off the front who were quick and caused us one or two problems and in the end they did get into some good positions but fluffed their lines on a couple of occasions.”

He added: “We haven’t really threatened the goal as much as I would have liked but the positives to take are that we kept a clean sheet and haven’t lost the game. We haven’t kept a clean sheet for a long, long time – in fact over the last eight or nine games, we’ve conceded a minimum of two goals. We picked up a point tonight albeit we’d have preferred to have taken all three and touch wood it looks like we haven’t picked up any more injuries bearing in mind supporters would have come along tonight and wondered where X, Y and Z are.”

The boss explained his dilemma when he said: “We lost Ben Sampson who came off injured on Saturday; we tried to protect Charlie Exley but we needed him to help us out for ten minutes on Saturday then he had a reaction and was not available; Ben Williams rolled his ankle in training this week so he wasn’t available tonight; Dan Maguire’s calf isn’t as bad as was first thought but he has seen a physiotherapist today and this week is going to be too soon for him whilst Si Jakab was unavailable as he was playing for England Universities so we were four or five down from the squad we had on Saturday.”

Skinner poured praise on players who came back to help the club on Tuesday: “Credit to some of the lads like young Dylan Archer who was with us earlier in the season who we let go to get more game time. He came back to help us out and the same goes for Mason Hardy who we let go out on loan to get minutes. He returned tonight albeit he didn’t get out on the pitch. Adam Glew is another who came to us in the summer but struggled with injuries and he has answered the call so pats on the back to all of them. We’ve also had to recall Matty Dopson from Newcastle Blue Star and now we’ve got to go to play Hebburn on Thursday and Liversedge on Saturday before we get a week off.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

The strong westerly wind which blew down the Woodhorn Lane ground turned Saturday’s clash between Ashington and Grantham Town into a dour tussle.

The contest was decided by Elliot Walker’s 73^rd minute strike for the visitors – but Ashington’s performance came under fire from manager Ian Skinner who said: “We looked like a team that need the end of the season if the truth be known and if we don’t give ourselves a shake, it’ll be a very, very disappointing end to the season – and one which we’d look back on as underachieving if we were to finish towards the bottom end of the table. I’ve given them (the players) a little flea in their ear – some of them might not like it – but they need to step up now for the last four league games and show that a) it means something to them and b) that they want to be here next season regardless of what happens.”

He continued: “Our performance today was disappointing, frustrating and annoying. Conditions were similar to when we played against Grimsby a few weeks ago. With the wind we were too loose in possession; gave the ball away to easily and to cheaply; we didn’t move it (the ball) quick enough and were quite pedestrian in our play at times. We played to long and to early – and to often instead of building our play and progressing with controlled possession into the final third to then create shooting opportunities in and around the penalty area.”

However the boss was furious over the goal which decided the contest: “The second half was similar,” he said, “I thought we had a little spell where we played out under difficult conditions, secured the ball and had a couple of half chances. However, the thing which has annoyed me the most is the goal which we conceded. It’s a goal which was very similar to ones we have conceded in recent weeks – and it’s a goal that I keep telling the players time and time again about second contacts. It’s from a corner where Simon Jakab’s fantastic first header has dropped to the Grantham number seven in the box and we’ve got three players around him who all stood and don’t move. He (Elliot Walker) steps forward and strikes the ball and not one of my players move and the ball goes into the far corner of the net. We talk about putting your body on the line and defending the box as if it means something – well it didn’t happen today and it hasn’t for the last few weeks because that’s time and time again now on a second contact in the box the opposition are first and we are not willing to go and put our bodies on the line to block a shot.”

Just past the quarter hour mark, Connor Thomson had a goal chalked off and Skinner said: “The goal we had disallowed for offside was very, very tight but our play was just too slow. They (Grantham) were looking for points and fair play to them because against the wind they came and defended deep and looked to hit us on the counter attack. But what we have then got to do is to recognise that, so on transition to attack, we’ve got to play quick but we didn’t. We played to slow and slowed the play down. We went back to our goalkeeper far to often and that allowed them to get set in their shape behind the ball which then becomes difficult to break down. So we needed to play quicker and more positively and we needed to look forward and be willing to run forward – but I don’t think we did that anywhere near enough in the first half.”

We are thrilled to share that Ashington Football Club has achieved a significant milestone: we’ve secured grade 4 stadium accreditation, ensuring our ground meets the requirements for step 4 of the pyramid, the level at which we now proudly compete at.

Our journey to this point has been nothing short of remarkable. While our performances on the pitch have secured our place in the PitchingIn Northern Premier League East division for the 2024/25 season, an equally formidable effort has been made off the field to bolster our club’s position. The enhancements have been comprehensive, ranging from pitch perimeter infill and turnstile improvements to internal renovations within our building.

The heart of our success, however, lies not just in the physical improvements to our facilities but in the unwavering support we’ve received from our community. We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has stood by us during this period. The local councillors have been instrumental in our progress, offering not just their endorsements but tangible support that has helped the physical improvements.

Additionally, the generosity of individuals who have donated to the club by various means has been pivotal. Your faith in us fuels our commitment to not only maintaining but elevating the standards of Ashington Football Club.

This achievement marks a new chapter for us, one that we step into with great excitement.

As we continue to build on this foundation, we are reminded of the collective spirit and dedication that have brought us to this point. Here’s to the future of Ashington Football Club, and to all those who are a part of this incredible journey. Together, we’ve reached a milestone, but the journey doesn’t end here—it’s just the beginning.

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Karl Ross says the Ashington players are ‘buzzing’ and ‘can’t wait’ ahead of Tuesday night’s clash against Newcastle United U21s in the semi final of the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup at Woodhorn Lane.

Vice captain Ross also believes that the home fans ‘can play a huge part’ as the Colliers bid to reach the final of the competition for the first time in over a decade.

Ashington-born Ross said: “Its one of those games which doesn’t come around very often and all of the lads are buzzing and can’t wait. I vividly remember playing against Newcastle only a couple of years ago in front of a crowd on 1357 and the fans were our 12^th man that night as they kept us going. Hopefully we’ll be playing in front of another bumper attendance and again they can play a huge part. They are fantastic and even in our league games at Woodhorn Lane with 5-600 backing us, you can feel the atmosphere.”

Turning the clock back to the 2021/22 campaign, the young Magpies led 2-0 at Woodhorn Lane before Ross and Craig Spooner both netted which brought the Colliers level – with the visitors progressing via a penalty shootout: “When I scored, all I heard was a mighty roar,” recalled Ross, “I’d never experienced that sort of feeling before but the fans were quality all the way through because they spurred us on. There was quarter of an hour remaining when Craig (Spooner) equalised – and after that we had two clear cut opportunities and could have nicked it.”

Meanwhile 25 year old Ross said that the goal he scored in Ashington’s 5-2 win against Bridlington Town recently was ‘the best of his career’: “I’ve got to admit that it was some finish – but I reckon I’ll never score one of those again,” he said.

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner says he is hoping his outfit can get a positive result against Newcastle United U21s on Tuesday night when the teams clash in the semi final of the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup at Woodhorn Lane.

Skinner said: “We’re looking forward to it. It’s a little bit of a journey into the unknown for us in terms of what sort of side Newcastle will put out. I’ve watched them a couple of times and their team has been very different on both occasions but we understand the way that they play and the concepts that they try and play to. We’ll look at that and also at ways in which we can try and cause them problems. We are the home side – we’ll attack – and be in front of a big crowd which will be fantastic so hopefully we can get a positive result.”

The sides met two seasons ago when Ashington fought back from a two goals deficit to equalise but the young Magpies went through after a penalty shootout: “It was a good contest on the night but the squads on Tuesday will be vastly different so that will have no bearing on the game,” added Skinner.

Kick-off is 7.30pm.

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner admitted that although his side were faced with challenging conditions, he nevertheless thought they deserved a share of the spoils against Carton Town on Saturday.

The Colliers travelled to Nottinghamshire looking to complete a seasons double after recording a 4-0 win over the Millers in November. However, a goal at the beginning and end of the second half saw them slip to a 2-0 defeat: “We weren’t at our best today in terms of the way we try and keep the ball and move the ball but I still thought a draw would have been a fair result,” said Skinner afterwards, “To be honest, I didn’t think it was a great spectacle with the game played out in difficult conditions with the wind and a difficult playing surface. However what I will say is full credit to Carlton and everybody involved at their club who gave up their time to get the pitch into a position for the match to go ahead so fair play to them for that.”

He continued: “The wind was blowing diagonally across the pitch and I think it was slightly in our favour in the first half and at times we got into some decent positions. I remember Wilson Kneeshaw being one-on-one on at least three occasions but to the credit of their number eight (Khyle Sargent) he defended really, really well – whether it be he made a last ditch tackle or whether he got a tackle in and sent the ball for a corner. On another day we would probably look at taking one or two of those chances whereas at the other end they (Carlton) fashioned a bit of a half chance from a set play and a long throw. Our goalkeeper Karl Dryden has made a comfortable save from a free kick deep into stoppage time and at half time a 0-0 scoreline probably summed the game up a little bit.”

The boss was unhappy with Carlton’s opening goal in the 53^rd minute from Niall Davie: “Second half, the wind was slightly in their favour but we’ve conceded a really poor goal from a set piece in terms of not being strong enough to defend our goal. After that, again it’s not been a great spectacle to watch and then having made three substitutes, we’ve ended up going down to ten men after having to withdraw Will Constantin. However, I thought that led to us having our best spell in the game. It’s funny how things work out in football – and there’s a physiological factor to it in terms of you know you are a player short so when you have got the ball you don’t want to give it away cheaply and when you haven’t got the ball you know you have got to work that little bit harder. We saw both elements of that and we started to cause them all sorts of problems. We controlled possession; we got into some good positions and you could sense that they (Carlton) were getting nervous.”

Skinner eluded to a golden opportunity which fell to substitute Connor Thomson two minutes into stoppage time: “It was a massive turning point in the game,” he said, “We’ve worked the ball from left to right and have got Connor (Thomson) in on the right hand side of the penalty area. He has hit a great strike but the goalkeeper has managed to get a foot to it and deflect it behind for a corner. Then a few minutes after that, they’ve been awarded a penalty which is soft to say the least. They scored from it and at 2-0 its game over because we are already into added on time at that point.”

He concluded: “Overall I was disappointed to lose. On what was a difficult afternoon could we have done things better? Possibly? However the pivotal moment was the save by their goalkeeper from Connor (Thomson) because if he had scored, we probably would have gone on to take a point.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC’s vice captain Karl Ross said it was’ hard to put into words’ his reaction to the news that manager Ian Skinner will be stepping down from his role as manager at the end of the season.

The 25 year old said that the players were told of the decision by Skinner ahead of training on Tuesday night: “We were getting ready (for training) when Ian came in and got us together in a huddle – then he broke the news to us,” he said, “It was emotional and it’s hard to put things into words because I’ve been on this journey with the boss for over five years and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. We are a tight knit group and it was a bombshell because we just didn’t expect the news.”

Skinner took over the managerial reins in January 2019 when the club were going through a challenging period but three years later he guided the Colliers to silverware as they won both the Northern League Cup and Cleator Cup.

Last season the Wansbeck outfit reached the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup before gracefully bowing out against National League North outfit King’s Lynn.

However on the final day of the Ebac Northern League campaign, Skinner’s side clinched second place in the first division after securing a 1-1 draw at Bishop Auckland and only a week later were promoted to the Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division following an emphatic 3-0 victory over Glossop North End.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC defender Gary Ormston said that the news which broke on Tuesday night of Ian Skinner’s departure as manager at the end of the current season came as a big shock to him.

And the 40 year old – who described himself as being ‘one of the senior people at the club’ – added that he will be ‘forever grateful’ to the outgoing boss who will step aside with his head held high after more than five incredible and successful years in the post.

“It was a big shock because there had been no word – sometimes you hear rumours but in this case there was nothing,” he said, “Consequently it was a first for me because I’ve never been to a club where the manager has announced during the season that he is leaving at the end of it. I was with North Shields when Ian (Skinner) took over at Woodhorn Lane in 2019. Ashington have always been a good club with a good fan base but as an outsider looking in, they were languishing a little bit. To have to play them at that time wasn’t a game which you would pick out as them being a championship rival or a FA Vase rival. However Ian brought together a real group of good young lads and he has nurtured them. A lot of them are on the cusp – being around the 25/26 years of age mark – and as the cycle of football goes, they need to step up now and become the experienced heads for the youngsters.”

He continued: “I’m equally as gutted as everyone else that Ian is leaving because he took a punt on me. As a 40 year old, I came in just to help out for one game here and there. But Ian has given me an opportunity to prove to myself and others than I’m still actually fit enough and good enough to play at this level so for that I’ll be forever grateful to him.”

Ashington have six league games remaining which begin with an away trip to face Carlton Town on Saturday. Then on Tuesday night (April 9), the Colliers face a semi final clash at home to Newcastle United U21’s in the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup – with Ormston adding that there will be no let up: “You want to win every game you go into so there’ll be no foot taken off the gas from us,” he said.