Match Report

By Brian Bennett

Jay Errington’s goal midway through the second half cemented back to back wins for Ashington in their Northern Premier League East Division clash at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday night.

They say a week is a long time in football. Turning the clock back seven days, the Colliers travelled to Leeds and pulled off a superb 2-1 victory over Garforth Town. The result lifted them several places from the bottom of the table.

The following day, the club announced the departure of joint head coaches Andy Coyles and Richie Hill and later confirmed that senior players Gary Ormston, Andrew Cartwright and Paul Robinson would be the interim management team.

Then against Bradford Park Avenue on Tuesday night, Ashington had to grind it out against a well organised side but they kept a clean sheet for the first time this season with the victory propelling them up to a mid table spot.

It was far from being a vintage performance – but the result was all that mattered.

The first half contained very little in the way of goalmouth action.

The Wansbeck outfit struggled to make inroads and it was quarter of an hour before they threatened when Wilson Kneeshaw chased a long ball played over the top of the Bradford defence.

The striker cut inside but blazed over then five minutes later Jack Camarda struck a drive which was held by ‘keeper Craig Ellison.

Skipper Karl Ross set up the next opening but Michael Ndiweni’s effort landed on the roof of the net.

Ten minutes before the break, Bradford – who looked dangerous from set plays – called Ross Coombe into action with the stopper performing well to turn around an effort from Paddy Sykes.

Then on the stroke of half time, full back Kareem Hassan-Smith delivered an inviting ball from the right which went across the face of the home goal.

Seven minutes after the break, Kneeshaw’s pace took him through the middle and when he passed to Errington, the youngster cut back across but fired well off target.

However, it was the same two players who combined to break the deadlock.

Ross won a tackle in the midfield and sent Kneeshaw on another direct run at the Bradford defence.

The forward played a superb ball through for Errington who cool as a cucumber, waited for Ellison to advance before sliding the ball wide of the ‘keeper and inside the post.

With quarter of an hour remaining, Ashington replaced Ndiweni with Andrew Johnson and inside two minutes, the substitute passed to Craig Spooner whose right footer was taken at head height by Ellison.

Errington shot narrowly over but in the 89th minute, only a fantastic save by Coombe kept the hosts in front as the stopper dived to his left to deny substitute Kelan Swales.