By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

It was a smiling Liam McIvor who emerged from the Ashington dressing rooms following the Colliers’ 1-0 win over Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday.

Defender Ben Williams scored the all important goal as early as the fourth minute and although the Wansbeck side had to defend manfully, it took their recent points haul to 14 from a possible 21.

“It was a fantastic win,” said McIvor afterwards, “It wasn’t the best performance but it’s not always about playing pretty football, it’s about jumping into the trenches on occasions to win games when you have to – and that’s what we have done today. We’ve had three away games in ten days and have travelled hundreds of miles but we’ve collected seven points out of nine which is fantastic and I’m really happy.”

Looking back on the first period, he said: “In the opening seconds Stocksbridge had a chance but Scott Lowery and Ben Williams combined to made a great challenge otherwise we would have been 1-0 down. After that the game was wide open. It’s frustrating sometimes but when you are not playing well, you’ve got to work hard and get men behind the ball and that’s what we did. The message at half time was for the players to try and keep the ball a little bit better and for us to have a bit more width to our game. However, they (Stocksbridge) came out strong and had a lot of the play but didn’t really have any clear cut chances. As the game wore on we changed the formation a couple of times just to try and get more men in the middle and we even went to five at the back in the last five minutes. We had players putting their bodies on the line and there was some great defending.”

McIvor was equally pleased with the goal scored by Ben Williams: “It was well worked and proved to be an important first one of the season from Ben (Williams) but to be fair all the players have got to look to chip in. We don’t score from many set pieces but we’ve got a bit of a threat at the minute with having a bit more height in the box.”

He added: “This run of games has seen us move up the table whilst teams in and around us have dropped points. It’s still tight but we’ve got a big week ahead with two home games against Newton Aycliffe on Tuesday and Consett on Saturday. Hopefully we are now on the right path but we need to continue to pick points up.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ben Williams was delighted to get off the mark and register his first goal of the season for Ashington on Saturday which secured a precious 1-0 win over Stocksbridge Park Steels.

However the 20 year old defender who is on-loan from Gateshead until the end of the campaign also spoke about how he was ‘buzzing’ for his team mates with Dunston UTS the only side to inflict defeat on Nick Gray’s side in the last seven matches.

Williams said: “We came here with two results in mind – a draw or a win – and to get the three points was brilliant. It was a hard fought game and I thought we deserved it. We’ve had a good ten days with the win at Grimsby, draw at Sherwood and the result today and we’re on a good run at the minute and are just hoping that we can keep it going. We knew we had a tough start to the season but now we are picking up some points and this is exactly what we needed.”

Stocksbridge – on the fringe of the play offs – went into Saturday’s game on the back of a superb 1-1 away draw against Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division leaders Cleethorpes in midweek but they were shell shocked when Williams struck in the fourth minute: “It was a case of being in the right place at the right time to tap the ball in,” said Newcastle-born Williams, “However, I’m buzzing for the lads about the result because it’s a real confidence booster in this little run that we’re on. Obviously I’m a defender and my main job is to keep the ball out of our net but if I can chip in with a goal or two as well, then I’ll be happy.”

Williams – who is based in Bedlington – praised the defending of his team mates on Saturday: “A lot of the games in this league are like it was today,” he added, “You know what you are going to come up against and it’s about being brave and putting your body on the line. There are going to be teams who are just going to throw it (the ball) into the box especially late on when they are trailing 1-0 so you’ve just got to be brave in defending and we were excellent at doing that today to be fair. I thought there was a lot of last ditch tackling by us and that’s also what you need. It’s a confidence booster for us as well because it shows we can defend well and get results like today.”

Do you want to help Ashington AFC to increase their online engagement and offering on matchdays? This is a fantastic opportunity for an individual who is keen to develop their own personal skills in the media domain while also providing an essential service for fans far and wide.

Role Overview

As a Matchday Social Media Lead, you will play a key role in providing timely updates via our online platforms with an aim of building excitement and connecting with the online audience on matchdays.

Key Responsibilities

• Pre-match build-up: Posting team lineups, player profiles, interesting stats, and pre-game hype on social media platforms.
• Live updates: Providing real-time updates on the score, key moments, substitutions, and notable plays during the match.
• Post-match analysis: Posting post-match reactions from players and the manager, key highlights, and match statistics.
• Fan engagement: Responding to comments and questions from fans, running polls, and encouraging interaction on social media.
• Time commitment: This role will predominantly be for home matchdays (away matchdays where possible) from approximately 1 hour before kick off to 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Desired Skill

• Strong understanding of social media platforms
• A commitment to the clubs’ values of professionalism and inclusivity
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Knowledge of non-league football
• Ability to work under pressure

Why join us?

• Be part of a dedicated team passionate about football and community engagement.
• Contribute to increasing our profile within the local and wider community
• Gain valuable experience in online sports media.

Please note that this is a voluntary position and any interested parties will need to be over the age of 16 to ensure we adhere to all the various policies of media platforms used.

To express and interest please email media@ashingtonafc.com.

You can also download a PDF copy of this role profile here.

Are you passionate about Ashington AFC and making an impact in our community. We invite you to join our Revenue Growth Committee. This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals who are eager to contribute their skills and ideas to help us thrive financially and expand our reach.

Role Overview

As a member of other Revenue Growth Committee, you will play a key role in driving our club’s revenue growth initiatives. Your contributions will directly impact our ability to attract sponsors, enhance our community offerings and create sustainable revenue streams.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with fellow committee members to develop and implement strategies aimed at increasing revenue through various channels.
• Identify potential sponsors and create tailored proposals that align with the clubs  values and objectives.
• Brainstorm and propose innovative ideas to enhance growth, including merchandise sales, event hosting and community engagement initiatives.
• Regularly report on progress and outcomes of revenue initiatives to the club board.
• Time commitment – Max 2 hour per week.

Desired Skill

• Passion for football and community engagement.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Creative mindset and ability to think outside the box.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team.

Why join us?

• Be part of a dedicated team passionate about football and community development.
• Contribute to the sustainability and success of our club.
• Gain valuable experience in revenue generation.
• Network with local businesses and community leaders.

To express and interest please email nicola.sanders@ashingtonafc.com no later than 5pm Friday 31^st January

You can also download a PDF copy of this role profile here.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington’s new striker Cieran Jackson said at the weekend that he is excited about joining the Woodhorn Lane based outfit.

The 24 year old was included in the squad for Saturday’s trip to face Sherwood Colliery and came on as a substitute just past the hour mark.

The contest finished all square at 1-1 with Ryan Wombwell on target for the Colliers with a late equaliser.

Afterwards Jackson said: “I’m excited about joining Ashington and to start playing again – hopefully I can score a few goals. As soon as the manager (Nick Gray) rang me it was a no brainer to join. It was good to get on as a substitute today – I thought I did alright – and maybes could have scored but the defender (Jaz Goundry) got back to clear. We had a better second half today but I thought we dropped two points really because we could have won.”

Ashington boss Nick Gray said: “I’ve known Cieran for a few years. He’s been at Spennymoor and Stockton – both good clubs – and although we are getting better, we need to be looking to improve even more and probably in the attacking third. Cieran is a player who will give us tenacity and he’s a livewire who will put his body on the line. He’ll not score 25 goals a season but will create chances for others and work hard for the team and won’t give the opposition defence time on the ball.”

He continued: “Cieran lives in Bishop Auckland – which is not close to Ashington – and he had a couple of other offers but decided to join us so that says something about the lad. I’ve admired him for a good while and he’ll give us something which we haven’t got and that will be a plus for us.”

By Brian Bennett

Ryan Wombwell scored his first ever goal for Ashington in their 1-1 draw against Sherwood Colliery on Saturday.

Wombwell’s strike came with just two minutes of the 90 remaining – but the on-loan defender revealed afterwards that the thoughts from within the Ashington camp was that they had dropped two points as opposed to claiming a valuable one on the road.

The 23 year old said: “The first half was disappointing. The shape we played worked well on Wednesday against Grimsby Borough but today we didn’t really get the press right. Following an injury to Scott Lowery, we changed shape and it worked much better for us. From thereon in I thought there was only one team in control of the game and that was us. We managed to score late on but we’ve said in the dressing room that we thought it was two points dropped after the amount of the ball we had in the second half.”

Newcastle-born Wombwell – who is based at Westerhope – described his goal: “Ben Sampson had a shot which took a deflection and wrong footed the ‘keeper a little bit and although he saved it (the ‘keeper), the ball ran to me. It was quite a simple finish to hit the target and I was happy to finally get my first goal for Ashington ten games in. Although we got a little bit of luck with the ball dropping for us, we earned it by the amount of attacks we had and I thought we played well in the second half.”

Wombwell will continue to wear Ashington’s colours after the Woodhorn Lane club and Morpeth Town agreed to extend his loan until the end of the campaign. Wombwell added: “I came to Ashington and have started and played every game and that’s what I wanted to do. The group of lads in the changing room are brilliant and I’m really enjoying it. I’m happy that the loan has been extended until the end of the season and now I can focus on helping the team to get as high up the league table as possible.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington’s assistant manager Liam McIvor looked on as Ryan Wombwell scored a late equaliser to rescue a point for the Colliers from their clash against Sherwood Colliery at Debdale Park on Saturday – and said he thought a draw was the least the Wansbeck side deserved.

Wombwell’s strike – his first goal for the club – took Ashington’s recent run to three wins and two draws from their last six matches and McIvor reiterated what manager Nick Gray said recently – that he thinks the team are heading in the right direction.

McIvor commented: “I thought 100 per cent we were the better team in the second half and a draw was the least we deserved. From the start of the game, we just dropped off a little bit and made them look good by allowing them play. If you give any player time on the ball they’ll kill you and we just gave their two midfielders time on the ball to pick passes out and they created a couple of good chances but thankfully for us they missed. For the first 35 minutes we didn’t get going then when Scott Lowery unfortunately got injured and we changed our shape, we looked a different team.”

Ashington went in at the break trailing to a penalty which was converted by Sherwood’s Carter Widdowson but McIvor was always optimistic: “The message at half time was to keep going because we have got quality in the squad and I knew we would create chances. We hit the woodwork twice and I think we’ve created enough (chances) today than we have done in the last three of four games but we just need that extra bit of quality in the final third.”

He continued: “We have travelled to both Grimsby and Sherwood in four days – in total a round trip of over 600 miles – and have come away with four points out of six and I would have settled for that beforehand. It was important not to lose today especially after winning on Wednesday and we’re heading in the right direction. However the message to the lads is simple – if we want to be a good team we have got to kill teams off like we should have done today.”

McIvor added that the squad will train twice this week ahead of Saturday’s away clash against Stocksbridge Park Steels (January 25).

By Brian Bennett

Manager Nick Gray will take his new Ashington side to face one of his former clubs in the semi final of this season’s Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup.

The Colliers have been drawn away to Morpeth Town whilst the other tie will see Heaton Stannington face holders Newcastle United u21’s.

The boss heard the draw ahead of what was an excellent 1-0 win over Grimsby Borough on Wednesday night and said: “I have some fond memories as well as having had some very good times at Morpeth so it will be nice to go back. On top of that I also have good friends at the club. The last time I returned to Craik Park with another club we didn’t do ourselves justice on the night and although we know it’s going to be a tough challenge for us, it’s a local derby and a semi final with the chance to play in the final at St. James’ Park. We’ll look forward to it with anticipation.”

By Brian Bennett

Delighted after his side had collected three precious points with a 1-0 victory after a pulsating non-stop encounter against Grimsby Borough on Wednesday night, Ashington manager Nick Gray has challenged his players to perform even better.

On what eventually turned out to be a perfect evening for football – following a pre match scare as fog hovered around the ground less than three hours before kick-off – a goal in the dying embers of the first half by Craig Spooner decided the outcome at the Bradley Football Development Centre.

The win lifted the Colliers up to 15^th place in the table and gave them a bit of breathing space – but it remains very tight at the foot of the East Division table. Sheffield are on the bottom with 15 points then the next seven clubs are separated by only four points.

Consequently it came as no surprise when Gray said afterwards: “Tonight’s clash at Grimsby was the start of an important passage for us where we had five of our next seven games on the road – so we needed to get points on the board away from home and set ourselves some targets. It’s never easy to travel this kind of a distance – a round trip of over 300 miles – on a Wednesday night but credit to the lads. They arrived at the ground; were focussed and to be fair I thought they put in a good shift all over the pitch.”

He continued: “It was a great three points tonight but can we go and get something from our trip to Sherwood on Saturday because that’s what we have got to do – get points from teams who are in and around us. We’ll happily take the win and the plaudits tonight but we know we can challenge ourselves to do even better with the ball.”

Reflecting on the first half Gray said: “The opening half was nip and tuck. I thought both teams gave the ball away cheaply in and out of possession with Grimsby looking dangerous when we gave the ball away and vice versa. At 0-0, we made some great interceptions from crosses which came into our box and we defended as a unit. I thought we grew into the game and got our noses in front with a goal by Craig Spooner which came out of nothing. He (Spooner) chases lost causes – and tonight he’s got his rewards! Once you go ahead, you’ve always got something to hold onto and second half I thought Spooner then Ryan Donaldson could have scored a second goal to be fair but both missed great opportunities. Craig has said to me that the ball took a bobble – and I’ll take his word on that – but at 1-0, it was going through my mind ‘are we going to rue those chances?’

He added: “Second half it was a case of do we stick or twist and do we bring subs on with fresh legs? It was also about game management and I thought we did that really well and can’t remember our goalkeeper Dan Staples having to make a save. We’ve been playing a certain way and having the lion’s share of possession in games but not doing a great deal with the ball so we changed our shape. I thought we had someone up there (Craig Spooner) and the switch worked tonight – if it hadn’t then I would have taken it on the chin. Formations don’t win games of football – footballers do – and man for man I thought we had more players who were better than the opposition player. Don’t get me wrong, Grimsby have got some good players but we kept them quiet. They are a good side who attack with pace on the counter attack but I thought we dealt with it well and our defending was outstanding. Scott Lowery, Jordan Summerly, Ben Williams and Andrew Cartwright all did their jobs – but the defending came from the front.”

Meanwhile Ryan Donaldson made his debut playing up front alongside Spooner and Gray concluded: “I thought Ryan had a good debut. He showed his experience and he’ll get better for us.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington manager Nick Gray wants his players to improve their away form in the second half of the season.

Following back to back league games against Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe which have been postponed due to frozen surfaces, the Colliers now head into a programme of fixtures which will see them on their travels for five out of their next seven matches – and Gray is looking for an improvement in results.

The pitch at Woodhorn Lane was so solid that Saturday’s scheduled clash against Newton Aycliffe was actually called off on Friday tea time and Gray was keeping his fingers crossed that with milder weather forecast, Wednesday night’s trip to face Grimsby Borough would get the green light.

However, the boss was philosophical about the forthcoming journeys when he said: “It’s not ideal and it’s just the way things have fallen with the weather – but at the same time we need to be better with our away form and look to get some positive results. We know we have to do much better and need points on the board and within the dressing room we’ll be setting ourselves a target. The earlier we reach that target the better. It’s a tough challenge but after these seven games if we’ve bagged a good points haul then it’ll have been worthwhile – if not then it will put us under pressure for the home games.”

He continued: “The weather has stopped our momentum but we’re in the same boat as a lot of other clubs. When I was with Morpeth Town, we experienced a long winter in 2016 – the same season we won the FA Vase – where we didn’t play a game for nine or ten weeks! On Thursday night I spoke at training that we’ve got to keep switched on and be focussed and think that the next game is going to go ahead. We are in a good place at the minute and need to play as soon as we can – but we’ve got to make sure that when that next game comes, we’re 100 per cent prepared.”

Meanwhile Gray revealed that he had organised a behind closed doors friendly at the weekend: “You have to try and keep ticking over,” he added, “Some players have had more minutes than others recently but as manager, it also gives you an opportunity to look at shape and formations. It was disappointing but not a surprise that the Newton Aycliffe clash was postponed. They are always a tough side to play against so we knew it would have been a difficult game but you are just waiting for the next match because the longer it goes on (without a match), the tougher it is for the lads to get back into a routine.”