By Brian Bennett

Ashington will take on Guisborough Town in the quarter final of the Ebac Northern League first division cup at The dwmedia Stadium on Tuesday April 5.

Following Wednesday’s terrific 1-0 win away in the second round encounter at Thornaby, Colliers boss Ian Skinner had said he wanted a home tie – and his wish came true when the draw was made.

However there is an added incentive for the winners as the victors will have home advantage in the semi finals.

Ironically, the two sides clash at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday (March 19) in their Ebac Northern League first division fixture but Skinner categorically stated that the league and cup games will be completely different: “I don’t buy into it that Saturday’s match will be a dress rehearsal for our cup match because they will be two separate games,” he said, “After the win at Thornaby I asked for a home tie – which we have got -and if we progress we have another home game so I don’t think we could have asked for anything more.”

He continued: “Our home form has been good albeit frustrating and disappointing against Seaham Red Star today but we have won 11 games on our home patch and we’ll approach the cup game when it’s time. Before that we have got three league games to contend with and we’ll not be looking any further forward than playing Guisborough at the weekend. With no midweek game, we’ll be able to get onto the training pitch and will prepare properly – as we always do – for Saturday’s contest.”

Photo: Ian Brodie

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner talked about frustration being the key word in the aftermath of Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Seaham Red Star.

Skinner said: “We had a fantastic 1-0 win away to Thornaby in the cup in midweek so we thought that because of the performance on Teesside we’d only go with the one enforced change today with Thomas Kalthoeber dropping out through injury and Ben Harmison coming back in. But we seem to be the masters of shooting ourselves in the foot and never really recovered after the first seven minutes where we conceded twice – and again they were two really avoidable goals. They’ve won the first header and the second in our box from a corner. The first (header) was contested but for the second we are asleep on the back post and Danny Sayer got in front of his man and nodded the ball in. We had passed the ball okay in the opening moments so that was disappointing then we gave it away on half way and they’ve worked it down our left hand side and switched it out to the right and again it was a really poor goal to concede defensively but fair play to him (Sayer) who has cut inside and scored. Consequently we gave ourselves a mountain to climb. We try not to panic and you say ‘okay keep doing what we do well at home and get our foot on the ball and pass it’ but we couldn’t seem to be able to do that whether confidence had zapped out of us or whether it was that the players were trying too hard knowing that we were 2-0 down. Our touch was off; our passing was off; our movement was off and we didn’t press them (Seaham) when they had the ball and the first half was a non event for us.”

He continued: “We had had to make an enforced change in the first half when Ben Sampson felt his hamstring so he had to come off and I just thought we needed to change things for the second half and had to be on the front foot coming down the bank a little bit. We introduced another couple of subs and Seaham have sat in a little bit and said ‘come on then break us down’ – and although we saw more possession, again we didn’t really move the ball quick enough to move them around. We passed it without really creating too much – and I can’t remember too many efforts on goal if I’m honest. You just think ‘it’s going to be one of those days’ where nothing is going right for us. We couldn’t seem to control it and pass it the way we are used too; we had made three subs then Adam Johnson has had to come off injured so we changed it again and we take an even bigger risk and go with three at the back and push Ben (Harmison) up front. That meant we sacrificed our principles because we are a man light and the intention was to go from back to front as quick as we could – but even then we didn’t play into Ben with any kind of quality and when we did, we didn’t get runners around which was the whole point of him going up there. However, the one time we did, we got a goal back. It’s gone up to Ben, he’s flicked it and we are asking Jordan Lashley to play off Ben and the one time he (Lashley) does get close to him and reads the flick-on he brings it down and fires it into the bottom corner. If the goal had come ten minutes earlier it might have been interesting but it was probably a little bit of ‘too little, too late.’

He went on: “It was a bit of a niggly game but I just thought it was disappointing all over and frustration is the key word but let’s not forget how far we have come. Historically – and without being disrespectful – for the last decade this club (Ashington) have been on about not being in the bottom three and today we were talking about if we had won, we could have gone second top so at times we need to put things into perspective. Yes we are all disappointed and yes we haven’t played to the levels we are capable of but these players usually bounce back. They seem to follow up a disappointing result with a positive one and we need to do that next week at home to Guisborough. Our home record is really, really good, I think that is our fourth defeat along with one draw out of our games at Woodhorn Lane and we have won 11.” Skinner will have to reckon without Thomas Kalthoeber, Tom Bramley and Max Emmerson who are all ruled out through injury whilst Ben Sampson is doubtful and Adam Johnson’s fitness will be assessed. However, Max Cowburn and Paul Robinson come back into the reckoning along with Jamie Hanson for the match which has a 3pm kick off.

We are now able to confirm the details for our EBAC Northern League – Division One Cup – Quarter Final against Guisborough Town FC.

The match will be played The dwmedia Stadium (Woodhorn Lane) on Tuesday 5th April 2022, with a 19:30 kick off.

We are delighted to reward fans of both sides with discounted entry rates for this match.

Tickets will be priced at £5 for Adults, and £1 for Senior Citizens, Students and Under 16s.

We would like to thank both Guisborough Town and The EBAC Northern League in agreeing to our request under the admission rule within the competition rules.

It would be great to see the crowed boosted for this match with the discounted entry rates, for what has the makings of a superb Quarter Final tie.

Advance tickets can be purchased online (link below), which speeds up entry to the stadium for all:

https://ashingtonafc.ktckts.com/event/2122afcvgtfccup/ashington-afc-vs-guisborough-town-fc-divisional-cup

Season tickets will not be valid for entry to this match.

The draw has been made of the Quarter Finals and Semi Finals of the 2021/22 EBAC Northern League – Division One Cup.

After our 1-0 victory at Thornaby on Tuesday night, we will now face Guisborough Town at home in the Quarter Final of the competition.

Should we advance through that game, we will again be at home at the Semi Final stage.

In the Second Round, Consett are still to visit Redcar Athletic. The winner of the fixture then host West Auckland Town in the Quarter Final. The winner of this Quarter Final tie will face the winner of Ashington or Guisborough Town.

Date and ticket arrangements for our Quarter Final tie will be announced as soon as possible.

The full draw for the Quarter and Semi Finals is as follows:

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner said after his sides 1-0 victory over Thornaby on Wednesday night in the Ebac Northern League first division Cup that it would be nice to get a home draw in the next round.

The Colliers have been on their travels over the past 12 days making consecutive journeys to face Newcastle Benfield, Redcar Athletic and Northallerton Town in League matches as well as Thornaby in the Cup: “We’ve been on the road constantly for the past week or so,” said Skinner, “We’ll see what the draw throws up – but it would be nice to get a home tie.”

Reflecting on the win over Thornaby on Teesside, Skinner said: “I’m delighted. This group of players have a knack of bouncing back after a negative result – and following the disappointing 4-2 reverse at Northallerton at the weekend, they have done that again tonight. Thornaby is not the easiest of places to go too – we came here earlier in the season and comprehensively lost (5-0) but to be fair, we picked a team tonight which we thought could be a bit little more solid out of possession; a team which was full of pace across the front line knowing that when we did win the ball we could we play on the counter attack a little bit. Was it pretty or free flowing? – no not really. I thought we had to weather a storm for the first 10-15 minutes after Thornaby started the game far better than we did. It looked as if they were going to score but to our credit we’ve dug in and defended well and have played our way into the game a little bit.”

Luke Salmon’s 13^th minute header proved to be the winner and Skinner added: “We have probably scored against the run of play if I’m honest. However, it was a good goal; a good move and a good cross and Luke (Salmon) has attacked a ball which nobody thought he would get too – and he got his just rewards. After that, I thought we did okay in spells and snatched at a couple of half chances in the box. We limited them (Thornaby) to very little and I can’t remember our ‘keeper Karl Dryden making any world class, full stretch or brilliant saves.” He went on: “If we had turned in more away performances like tonight instead of three or four disappointing showings, we’d not only be sitting in the next round of the first division cup, we’d potentially be sitting a little bit higher up the league table. People will look at our position in the division and say ’it’s a while since Ashington have been up there – and they’ll be delighted with that’ – but I’m the sort of person who always likes to get better and better and I also challenge the group to be better. Before the game, the mission was to make sure we were in the hat for the next round. We know we can beat anybody on our day – we can beat ourselves too – but tonight we went out and got the job done.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC’s progression into the last eight of the Ebac Northern League first division cup following a 1-0 win over Thornaby on Wednesday night was tarnished by an injury to Thomas Kalthoeber.

On the hour mark, the 20 year old defender made a brilliant last ditch tackle inside the Colliers penalty area but seconds later was in pain before being stretchered off with a hamstring tare.

The Wansbeck side have already got Max Emmerson and Tom Bramley on the long term injury list and manager Ian Skinner said of Newcastle-born Kalthoeber: “It’s early days but we think he (Thomas) could have potentially torn his hamstring so that could be him out for the season. We wish him well. Thomas came back into the side recently and has been really, really good and was solid again tonight. However, injuries are part and parcel of football.”

After being on their travels for four consecutive matches at Newcastle Benfield, Redcar Athletic, Northallerton Town and latterly Thornaby – during which time they clocked up a round trip of 380 miles – the Colliers make a welcome return to Woodhorn Lane on Saturday (March 12) when they take on Seaham Red Star.

Skipper Ben Harmison, Lewis Suddick and Paul Robinson – who all missed the cup tie at Thornaby – come back into contention for the 3pm kick-off.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner described Saturday’s 4-2 defeat at the hands of Northallerton Town as being disappointing in ‘a multitude of ways.’

And the boss admitted that he would shoulder part of the blame after making changes to the line up following Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Redcar Athletic on Teesside.

Skinner emerged from the dressing rooms and said: “It was a disappointing result and a disappointing and frustrating display given the two good away performances we came into the game on the back of. I’ll take some of the responsibility for making five changes to the side but the thought process behind it was that we’d obviously been on the road for the last two games and had two really good results and I just thought I would freshen things up today rather than lads play three games in a week plus the fact that we have another game on Wednesday. You lay the gauntlet down to people and say ‘go on then, there’s an opportunity to reinforce or remind us of what you are capable of and give me a headache for the First Division Cup match away to Thornaby on Wednesday (March 9). I’ve got that headache – because now it’s a case of what team do I pick after today’s showing was really, really disappointing in a multitude of ways.”

He continued: “I didn’t think we passed the ball as well as we could; individual errors for goals were really, really poor and when we got ourselves back into it at 2-1, I actually then thought: ‘do you know what, this is typical Ashington – and that we’d probably go on to get a point or if not win it! But within a few minutes we have conceded again with individuals errors – being the wrong side of the man – and when we do get the right side of the man, we don’t press the ball and he (Shaun Ryder) turns and hits it (the ball) – and don’t get me wrong, it’s a fantastic finish.”

He went on: “Overall I’m really baffled but we’ve got to look at the bigger picture and I’ve probably played a part in it for making the changes. Players who have come in haven’t probably given me what I thought they would give me whilst individual errors during the game have really cost us and it always gets to a point where if you go behind in a match, there’ll come a point where it will be one game too many – and that game was possibly today.” However, Skinner reflected on a first period where chances went begging for his side: “If you look at the first half and some of the opportunities we had, there were at least three really good ones – and if you take them then it’s a completely different game,” he said, “But we’ll dust ourselves down and the positive thing is we usually bounce back in our next fixture.”

By Brian Bennett

Jordan Lashley was still on cloud nine – after hitting all four goals in Ashington’s 4-1 victory over Redcar Athletic on Wednesday night.

The 23 year old ex Bedlington Terriers striker came off the bench midway through the second half with his side trailing 1-0 – and completely transformed the game in a little over 20 minutes.

Afterwards Lashley said: “This was my first ever hat-trick – let alone four goals. It hasn’t sunk in yet and probably won’t until later tonight. I’ve already received a few messages of congratulations from members of the family but at the moment I’m absolutely buzzing about it and also that we got the win. When I came on with about 25 minutes left the boss (Ian Skinner) told me that when I got the ball, to turn and get at their defence and let shots fly. So as soon as the ball came to my feet I looked to turn and drive and have a go.”

It took Ashington-born Lashley only two minutes to open his account and he added: “When Bobby (Taylor), Max (Cowburn) and myself came off the bench, the boss said ‘we want you three to change the game.’ I was obviously pleased to score the first goal which brought us level but the focus after that was for us to go on and win the game. We could see that Redcar were tiring and there was plenty of space for us to exploit – so I was happy to help!”

Lashley – a sales advisor who is based in North Seaton – selected his third goal as being the pick of the bunch: “I turned; the defender stood and the space has opened up and I bent the ball inside the far corner from outside the box.”

Now Lashley’s aim is to stay in the side: “We want to try and finish the season as strong as possible,” he said, “We have got the quality and can pick up points and wins if we play the way we know we can,” he said, “I was out of the squad for a few weeks but I remained patient and when I got the chance I just told myself that I had to take it and try to remain involved.”

Manager Ian Skinner said: “Jordan came to the club and people remember the story where he wasn’t in the squad and then I called him in and he scored a couple of goals on his debut at Whitley Bay. He netted on his home debut but then dropped out of the squad through illness and hadn’t been able to get back in. He got this opportunity – we thought he deserved it too – but what supporters have seen tonight is what we the management team see in training on a weekly basis and it was about giving him the confidence to transfer that from the training ground to the pitch.” He continued: “In training Jordan has got great feet and goes past people; he scores goals and we try to give him the confidence to try and go and do that on a Saturday. That’s why we brought him to the football club and I’m really pleased for him that he has scored four really well taken goals. Two of them were fantastic finishes; two were good finishes. He has never approached me to ask ‘what is going on? – you brought me to the club and I’ve been in and out.’ Instead he’s been patient and full credit to him.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner said he was doubly delighted on Wednesday night – with his sides 4-1 win against Redcar Athletic – and for four goal marksman Jordan Lashley.

Trailing 1-0, Skinner made a triple substitution thrusting Max Cowburn, Bobby Taylor and Lashley into the fray – and to say the move paid dividends would be a gross understatement as the latter scored four times in the final quarter of the match: “I was delighted with the result as well as for Jordan Lashley,” enthused Skinner afterwards, “The win moves us up the table albeit we’ve probably played more games than some of the teams around us but we have got the points on the board and I’m a ‘points on the board’ person as opposed to having ‘games in hand.’

He continued: “It was a funny sort of a game really. Obviously we were the away team but they (Redcar) set up like an away team. They defended with a low block and out of possession they had every player in their own half. Early in the game we saw lots and lots of the ball and if I could get the stats, we would probably have broken the league record for the amount of possession we had across the 90 minutes. However, in the first half we were just a little bit slow. We didn’t quite move the ball quick enough to move Redcar around and cause them problems. We were also wasteful in possession and were guilty of making unforced errors where we gave the ball away under no pressure.”

For all the dominance they had, Skinner saw his side go a goal behind: “It was a classic sucker punch,” he added, “I think – until the end where they came out because they were behind – it was probably their only shot on target in the first 70 minutes but fair play to the lad Owen Clarkson who finished it fantastically. The ball went in off the underside of the crossbar and inside the top corner and that gives them (Redcar) something to hang on for. They had set the team up to frustrate and stifle us and not give us space in behind which is a compliment to our lads – but we are not top goal scorers in the league for nothing and it just got a little bit frustrating in the first half because we know we are better than that.”

He continued: “Second half we improved. We did move the ball quicker and we know when we do that, they’ve got to shuffle and slide as a unit and the more you do that, the move you become tired and gaps start to appear. We kept looking to pass it; look to create chances and in the end we made a triple substitution to stay on the front foot. I put three very forward thinking players on to try and get us back in the game and Jordan (Lashley) has come on, scored four goals and I’m really happy for him.”

Ashington go to Northallerton on Saturday (March 5) and Skinner said: “That’s two wins in a row for us and we will be looking to make it three in North Yorkshire. As ever, we’ll just take one game at a time and if we win those games, we’ll see where it takes us at the end of the season.” Ben Sampson and Curtis Coppen will both undergo fitness tests whilst Paul Robinson should be available to return to the squad.

Br Brian Bennett

Midfielder Karl Ross scored Ashington’s opening goal against Newcastle Benfield on Saturday – with his side going on to claim a comfortable 3-0 win.

And afterwards, Ross, who has waited patiently on the bench to get back into the team, admitted that after returning to the starting line up the previous week against Bishop Auckland, he has hit the ground running: “I’m happy to be back on the pitch after being on the sidelines,” he said, “I thought I was a bit unlucky to drop out of the team because I thought I was playing well but that’s football and you’ve got to take your time. I’ve come back in; I’ve hit the ground running again and I’m getting fitter – and enjoying it.”

Cramlington-based Ross – a plumber – revealed that his shot for the goal took a deflection – but no-one will be taking the strike away from him: “The ball came to me on the edge of the box and it’s one of those where the pace is already on the ball and I’ve just aimed for the target really. It took a slight deflection but I’m still claiming it!”

Reflecting on the game, the 23 year old said: “For the first few minutes we had to adjust to what was a tricky surface but the lads were outstanding today and that’s what we needed. Obviously being away from home we knew we just needed to tighten up a bit and we did that.” Ashington-born Ross believes the Colliers – who as a result of Saturday’s success, moved up to fifth from top of the first division table of the Ebac Northern League – have been ‘outstanding’ this season: “In all honesty, at the start of the campaign, I don’t think we expected to be in this position because of where we were last term – but things have gone well for us,” he said, “We are a young side who have been outstanding this year – and long may it continue.”