Ashington went down to their third consecutive defeat in the Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division on Tuesday night when Sheffield hit them for four at the Home of Football Stadium.

Already trailing to goals from Harry Mitchell and Benni Ndlovu, a significant turning point arrived on the hour when Connor Thomson’s effort smacked against the post.

Ten minutes later Connor Cutts made it 3-0 and Ashington’s night of misery was compounded when Karl Ross put the ball into his own net towards the end.

Rain an hour before the game made the surface have a bit of zip to it and in only the second minute, Cameron Johnson squandered a great opening for the home side dragging his shot wide.

Not to be outdone, the Colliers retaliated with Oli Thompson playing the ball through for Connor Thomson but his cross was held by ‘keeper Edd Hall.

Thompson had an effort deflected for a corner before the deadlock was broken in the 12th minute with Sheffield accepting an early Christmas present.

‘Keeper Karl Dryden’s clearance fell straight to the feet of Mitchell who promptly curled the ball inside the corner of the net from 25 yards.

The Wansbeck side responded again and Ben Sampson threaded a pass through for Thomson whose right footer was superbly turned aside by Hall.

Thomson charged through but his deflected effort looped over Hall and spun away for a corner then a blockbuster from Cam Gascoigne flew inches over the bar.

In the 35th minute, Sheffield added a second when they profited from a piece of good fortune. A shot ricocheted off an Ashington defender to Ndlovu who fired home with Dryden rooted to the spot.

And on the stroke of half time, Sheffield could have added to their lead when a header by Cutts flashed wide of the goal from a corner then on the break, Luke Mangham’s first time drive fizzed wide.

Early doors after the break, Gascoigne fired over and on the hour, a low 20 yarder by Thomson beat Hall but cannoned off the inside of the post and rolled across goal.

It just wasn’t going to be Ashington’s night and five minutes later Thompson did everything right other than score as his goalbound low drive was blocked on the line with substitute Morgan Dart blasting over the rebound.

Ashington had a lot of the ball in the second period but with 20 minutes remaining – and against the run of play – Sheffield effectively sewed the game up with a third.

Skipper Karl Ross cleared off the line from a corner on the right but from the second flag kick, the unmarked Cutts powered a header into the back of the net.

Then three minutes from the end of the 90, following a free kick on the right, a back header by Ross looped over Dryden and crept inside the far corner.