By Brian Bennett

Liam Henderson became Nick Gray’s latest signing last week when the experienced striker put pen to paper in time for him to make his debut against table toppers Cleethorpes Town on Saturday.

The Colliers took an early lead through Craig Spooner but ‘The Owls’ hit back to win the contest 3-1 with two goals from Josh Walker and one from Curtis Bateson.

Henderson said: “I know Nick (Gray) very well and Ashington are in a bit of a dogfight at the minute. I have come here to try and win games and for the club to stay in the league – that’s the main objective.”

Gateshead-born Henderson continued: “Today’s performance probably wasn’t the best but it’s not about performances now – it’s about wins. We did well but you can see why Cleethorpes are top of the league because they have got two good wingers and a striker, and they have got a game plan to be fair. Second half I thought they increased the intensity but without it sounding like a cliché it was a bit of a free hit for us today. However, we’ll pick ourselves up and go again on Saturday.”

Manager Nick Gray said: “I’ve been fortunate with previous teams I’ve managed to have the likes of Michael Chilton, Liam Henderson and Mark Davison who are all very good centre forwards and the biggest compliment I can give Liam is that I wouldn’t want to play against him! On Saturday, he gave us a voice; he was a presence and he brings other players into the game. I’m delighted he has signed because I’ve tried to get him a couple of times – and he has committed to us until the end of the season.”

He continued: “Liam will make a difference. The final third is an area where we have got to be more clinical and create more chances. I know what you have got to do to get the best out of him – and he’ll make us stronger at the top end of the pitch.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington manager Nick Gray remained upbeat despite his sides 3-1 defeat against Cleethorpes Tonw on Saturday.

As the countdown to the last six games begins, Gray said that the key message to the group of players is for them to understand the difference between winning and losing – and what it means to them.

“We were in the game today and the players gave a lot of effort – but we cannot keep saying that,” he commented afterwards, “All that matters now is getting points on the table and realising where we are in the league, what we have got to do and what we need to do – and I’m confident we will get there.  We scored a great goal but we can’t give good sides soft goals and that’s what we are doing. I looked at the strong bench and who we had missing today and we’ve done alright but we’ve got to realise where we at. Cleethorpes are top of the league for a reason and I’ve got a good affiliation with them and I watched them in the FA Vase final at Wembley. I see where they are now and but they have got 140 plus advertising boards around the sides of the ground which helps to get good players on the pitch.”

Gray – who thanked the Ashington supporters who had travelled down to North-East Lincolnshire on Saturday – continued: “We’ve got to look after ourselves and today’s result doesn’t define our season but  for the other games. we need to make sure we’re at it from the start and for 90 minutes – not 85 or 86. We have also got to deal better with the goals which we are conceding. People have got to realise you can have a good game for 89 minutes but if you make a mistake and it costs a goal, the 89 minutes is forgotten about and it’s the one minute lack of concentration or wrong decision making which is remembered. The biggest positive we can get at this time of the season is the result and I think we’ve got the capabilities to see us through. I think we have got a good squad but that means nothing now – it’s about what they (the players) have got in terms of character, application, attitude and work ethic.”

He added: “We’re in a bit of a mix and we’ve got to start to realise that. We’ve come face to face with the league leaders today who are in a cup final on Tuesday and good luck to them. We’ve got six league games left and we’ll take each one as it comes. We are capable of winning every game but equally we’re capable of losing every one and it’s fine lines. We’ve just got to make sure how we win games of football. Today there were a lot of positives. Jamies Holmes is another game fitter; Liam Henderson was excellent and gave us a presence up top which we have been lacking a lot this season and the way Liam plays, it gives other players better runs to make. I also thought the midfielders worked hard whilst defensively you get judged on how many goals you concede and the lads have done alright for the majority of the game.”

By Brian Bennett

Assistant manager Liam McIvor poured praise on a depleted Ashington squad on Saturday and described their 2-2 draw against promotion hopefuls Belper Town as being ‘a big point.’

McIvor said: “We obviously wanted to win the game but on reflection, a draw was probably a fair result. It’s a big point for us – especially after being 2-0 down – considering a lot of the teams around us won so credit to the lads for getting back into the game today.”

Looking back at a jam packed first period, McIvor added: “For us to concede a second goal a minute after the first was terrible. Funnily enough even though we were 2-0 down, it’s probably the best I’ve seen us play. We got back into the contest with a good goal, had another effort cleared off the line, missed a penalty and then scored a brilliant goal to equalise.”

He continued: “At half time we asked the players to try and continue to take the game to them (Belper) because we thought they were vulnerable at the back. We knew that needed to tighten things up ourselves because they had a couple of good chances in the first half and what developed was a bit of a scrappy second half.”

He went on: “We knew that with unavailabilities and injuries our squad would be depleted but the lads dug in and earned a great point.”

By Brian Bennett

Jamie Holmes made his debut for Ashington in their 1-0 defeat at promotion chasing Emley on Saturday.

The 27-year-old striker – who plays for Ebac Northern League first division outfit North Shields – has signed for the Colliers on a dual registration.

Newcastle-born Holmes – a marine engineer – said: “I’m home for a couple of months now and when I heard about Ashington’s interest I thought ‘why not?’ I already know most of the lads plus the management team of Nick Gray and Liam McIvor so I was happy to put pen to paper.”

Holmes, who is based in Wallsend, came on for the start of the second half at Emley and said: “I thought we started well in the second half but to be fair, I didn’t touch the ball much. It wasn’t that bad of a performance, but we need to be better in the final third.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington’s assistant manager Liam McIvor had a lot of sympathy for his playing squad following their slender 1-0 defeat against promotion chasing Emley AFC at the Fantastic Media Welfare ground on Saturday.

What developed into an evenly contested game in West Yorkshire was settled by a goal after 14 minutes by Emley striker Belchior Rodrigues and McIvor said afterwards: “The lads never stopped throughout. They put a proper shift in, and I feel for them because they deserved something out of that game today.  Emley are a good team – but the score sheet doesn’t lie, does it?

He continued: “Early doors, the lads had to try and adjust to a new formation which was only put onto them today because of the personnel who we had missing. For the first 15 minutes it was a case of the players getting used to it and once they got to grips with it, they did well. We created some good opportunities and their ‘keeper (Declan Lambton) has made a couple of good saves in the first half.”

He added: “The message to the lads at half time was to keep going and to keep believing because when we were popping the ball around we were good. We got in and around them (Emley) and had some good chances in the second half. Jordan Summerly had one effort cleared off the line and then Karl Ross just couldn’t get hold of the rebound.”

He went on: “We’ve got a hard programme over the next few weeks but things are looking promising. Apart from today, the display against Morpeth Town was good and we had a superb 60 minutes against North Ferriby. The lads have just got to keep on believing.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington AFC chair Nicola Sanders-Cooper has lavished warm praise on the female volunteers at the Woodhorn Lane based club – ahead of International Women’s Day on Saturday (March 8).

Nicola – who took over as interim chair last year when Brian Shotton stepped down – said that the praise is well deserved.

It is believed that Nicola – who is enjoying her role – is the only female chair in the Northern Premier League and said that she fully supports Saturday’s recognition of the volunteers.

“Without volunteers, clubs like ours simply wouldn’t exist,” Nicola said, “Their contributions are essential to our success. Much of their work happens behind the scenes and often goes unnoticed, so we see this day as a chance to say a huge thank you for all their dedication. As a club, we’re committed to being inclusive, promoting diversity, and fostering a sense of belonging for everyone.”

By Brian Bennett

It was a crestfallen Liam McIvor who emerged from the Ashington dressing room after promotion chasers North Ferriby had come back from a two goals deficit and scored a stoppage time winner at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday.

The defeat rubbed more salt into already sore wounds for the Wansbeck outfit following their semi-final defeat in the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup against Morpeth Town in midweek.

McIvor admitted that the sending off of defender Ben Williams on the hour had changed the game. The Colliers held a 2-0 lead when Williams was shown a straight red card for a DOGSO – denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity – but the assistant manager added that there were no excuses and that the players ought to have gone on and won the game.

“After going out of the semi-final of the cup on penalties, it was a demoralising defeat,” he said, “I just hope today’s result doesn’t come back to bite us when we look back at the end of the season. We were cruising at 2-0 – absolutely cruising- and they (North Ferriby) didn’t even test us. The sending off has changed the game and killed us but we were 2-0 up and should still have gone on to win the game. The three goals which we gave away were a disgrace and there are no excuses.”

McIvor had been pleased with the way the first half had panned out: “We came in 1-0 up and I was quite happy,” he added. “The goal followed great play and was a good finish by Josh Gilchrist. We had something to hold onto and then we started the second half really well. Gilly (Gilchrist) got his second (goal) early in the second half and we were in cruise control. In that situation you’ve got to see the game out but unfortunately, we didn’t. Ben Williams is last man and it’s probably a sending off if I’m honest, but we’ve put ourselves in that situation where we should be a bit cleverer. After that things went downhill and we haven’t done our jobs defensively.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington manager Nick Gray admitted that his sides’ exit from the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup against Morpeth Town on Tuesday night was ‘a cruel one to take’ – but said he couldn’t have been prouder of his players.

On a night of high drama at Craik Park, the game finished all square at 2-2 before the Highwaymen cemented their place following a penalty shoot-out which they won 4-3. Morpeth will now face Heaton Stannington or Newcastle United U21’s in the final which will take place at St James’ Park.

“I thought the lads gave a great account of themselves but sometimes in football you don’t get what you deserve,” said Gray afterwards, “To be fair we were a bit nervous before the game but I thought we were the better side. Morpeth scored and that seemed to galvanise us a little bit because we grew into the contest. We said at half time as long as we stay in the game, the longer we would get confidence and I thought we did that. We had some good opportunities and had more entries into the final third than Morpeth.”

He continued: “In the second half the game opened up and I thought we found better spaces. We got an equaliser then to be fair you think about substitutes and its one of them where the lads who came off had done nothing wrong – it was just a case of trying to freshen things up. Then after we went a goal behind in injury time, I thought the boys showed character to come back and get an equaliser. It then goes to penalties – but I don’t know why games like this don’t go to extra time because we are all here, the people are enjoying it, so what difference is it going to make playing an extra 30 minutes? Penalties are a lottery and to be fair we were behind a couple of times and our goalkeeper Ryan Catterick kept us in it with a couple of saves but fair play to the lads who stepped up to the mark to take the penalties. However, I couldn’t have been prouder of the lads than I am tonight. We were down in numbers and that’s down to our small squad but every one of the players gave everything tonight. It’s a cruel one to take but there are more positives than negatives.”

Gray – who was in charge at Craik Park when they won the FA Vase in 2016 –  added: “I’ve had a lot of good times here at Morpeth and I’d like to wish them all the best in the final. The Morpeth chairman Ken Beattie has had a challenging time recently and I’d like to send my best wishes to him as well.”

Ashington return to action on Saturday (March 1) when they face North Ferriby at Woodhorn Lane in the NPL East Division and Gray said: “If we show the same attitude and commitment for the last ten games of our league programme we’ll be fine. We have got to work on our consistency because you can’t just turn it on one week and not the next. We think we know how many points we need to stay in the league and the quicker we can get them the more we can enjoy the run-in to the end of the season.”

By Brian Bennett

Skipper Karl Ross will lead Ashington out against Morpeth Town in the semi final of the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup on Tuesday night  – firmly believing that it will be ‘all cisterns go’ at Craik Park.

The 26 year old midfielder – Ashington’s longest serving player who is a plumber by trade – reckons the clash will produce a good game of football where anything can happen.

Cramlington-based Ross said: “We’ve done well to get to the semi final and all of the lads will be treating this game as if it were the final. It’s going to be a hard test for us because Morpeth are a great team but it’s also a challenge which we will relish. We beat them on their home patch in pre season and if we can perform like we have been over the past few weeks then who knows?”

He continued: “The 3G surface will help us as we try to play out rather than it being on a grass winter pitch which maybes wouldn’t be in pristine condition. Morpeth are a team who like to play football – and so are we – and because of that, I think it will be a good contest for the neutral spectator to watch. However, it’s one of those games where anything can happen. With us being in the NPL East Division – the league below Morpeth – we’ll be the underdogs, but we will have loads of confidence believing that we can win the game.”

Ross is hoping for a good turnout of supporters from the Woodhorn Lane-based club: “Ever since I joined Ashington, the fans have come out in their numbers – so we should have excellent backing on the night,” he added, “It’s a local game; it’s a relatively short distance to travel and I’m sure it’ll be a great match with two sets of great fans.”

The winners will book their place in the final at St James’ Park against Heaton Stannington or Newcastle United U21’s but Ross said cautiously: “It’s naturally a big plus knowing that the final will be at a brilliant venue – but our minds will be focussed purely on the game in front of us and no further.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington’s assistant manager Liam McIvor says he ‘can’t wait’ for Tuesday night’s clash against Morpeth Town in the semi final of the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup to come around.

Apart from local rivalry, the tie which is being staged at Craik Park, will see the Colliers from the Pitching In Northern Premier League’s East Division pit their wits against the Highwaymen, who operate in the division above and McIvor said: “I can’t wait for the game to start because there is no pressure on us – we are the underdogs –  and Morpeth are the team who are expected to go through. However, if the Ashington who played in the second half against Brighouse turn up, we’ll give them (Morpeth) a good game.”

He continued: “It’s a 3G pitch and there is pace in our front three. We’ve got three players cup tied and our squad is not the biggest but with the final at Newcastle United’s St James’ Park what more of an incentive do you want.”