0 vs 1 
Match Report
By Brian Bennett
Ashington were beaten by a route one goal scored by Ossett’s Kelan Swales on Tuesday night in their Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division clash at Woodhorn Lane.
In front of a crowd of 553, the Colliers – who trailed as early as the 12th minute – threw everything at their West Yorkshire opponents especially in a one sided second period but ended with no reward for their efforts.
Ashington – kicking towards the Welfare end with the sun in their eyes – were quickly out of the traps and made inroads inside the opening minute.
Scott Heslop and Dan Maguire manufactured a swift one-two but the former was denied by a defensive block.
Ossett’s first chance arrived in the sixth minute when home ‘keeper Karl Dryden parried out a shot by Rafa Ferreira but from the rebound, Derry Robson’s effort sailed over.
Play immediately switched to the other end, with Ashington coming so close to breaking the deadlock.
Fine work by Maguire saw him cross left footed into the area where Cameron Gascoigne’s header smacked against the angle of post and crossbar and was cleared to safety.
Five minutes later, only excellent defending by Ossett kept the score line blank.
Ben Sampson, Maguire and Heslop combined inside the area and when the latter slipped the ball across, Gascoigne’s effort was blocked then the follow up by Heslop was also snuffed out.
Incredibly, the visitors opened the scoring from the resultant goal kick launched by ‘keeper Joe Green.
The ball found Swales on the left whose left footer beat Dryden at his near post before nestling in the back of the net.
Ashington hit back following a free kick by Darren Lough. His pass was laid off by Heslop to Jordan Summerly and when the full back slipped the ball into the path of Craig Spooner, he lifted his shot over the bar.
Heslop directed a shot straight at ‘keeper Green then Sampson curled a right footer which went narrowly wide.
Ossett were lightening quick on the break and in the 35th minute, centre half and skipper Harry Coates missed a glorious chance with a header from a free kick.
As the half drew to a close, the pacy Swales was thwarted by a superb tackle from Ashington skipper Nathan Buddle then the visiting forward had a shot pushed out by Dryden.
Ashington camped inside the Ossett half throughout the second period but just couldn’t find a way through.
Early doors, Spooner drove wide but it was Green who preserved his sides’ lead with two excellent saves inside the space of ten minutes.
On the hour, the home side engineered a brilliant move down the right involving Sampson and Maguire and it ended with Spooner’s low effort being turned around by Green.
Then after approach play by Maguire on the right, a shot on the turn by Heslop was saved by Green.
The Colliers introduced Wilson Kneeshaw for Gascoigne and four minutes later, the substitute ventured forward but fired over.
Still Ashington continued to knock on the door but they were thwarted by a determined rearguard.
A low cross by Heslop was poked wide by Kneeshaw then with five minutes of the 90 remaining, great work by Summerly saw him pull the ball back but Kneeshaw’s effort was somehow blocked by Green for a corner.
The game entered into seven minutes of stoppage time and a shot by Lough was straight down Green’s throat before in the dying seconds, a rasping right foot drive from 25 yards by Maguire fizzed agonisingly just past Green’s upright.