Match Report

By Brian Bennett

A goal on the quarter hour mark by Emley striker Belchior Rodrigues proved to be the defining moment on Saturday as Ashington lost out after a closely fought contest at the Fantastic Media Welfare ground.

For the second week in a row – the first a 3-2 defeat against North Ferriby – the narrow reverse came against a team sitting in a play-off position in the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League.

Following their cruel exit on penalties in the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup against Morpeth Town, Colliers boss Nick Gray said that in football ‘you don’t always get what you deserve.’

Since that night at Craik Park, the Wansbeck side have more than matched teams at the top of the table but unfortunately have a zero points return from both clashes.

On a beautiful sunny afternoon in West Yorkshire on Saturday, Ashington had the first chance. Josh Gilchrist found Ben Sampson but the midfielder couldn’t pick anybody out in the danger zone and the ball drifted behind for a goal kick.

Then came the all-important moment. Following a cross from the right, the ball was headed down by Nathan Curtis for Rodrigues who ran onto it and not closed down, struck a drive from the edge of the area which crashed into the back of the net.

Ashington’s response came two minutes later and was encouraging. Ryan Donaldson latched onto a pass from Gilchrist and cut back inside only to see his effort pushed around for a corner by home ‘keeper Declan Lambton.

In the 25th minute, it was visiting ‘keeper Ryan Catterick who kept the score at 1-0. Curtis dispossessed Scott Lowery on the half way line which put him clean through but after bearing down on goal, his shot was saved by Catterick.

Back came the Colliers with Gilchrist and Sam Fishburn featuring in a swift one-two which saw the former blocked then neat approach work led to a header by Gilchrist from a Jordan Summerly cross being clawed down by Lambton.

Five minutes before the interval, Donaldson, Sampson and Andrew Cartwright linked together and from a cross by the latter, a glancing header from six yards by Fishburn went wide of the far post.

For the start of the second half, Ashington brought on Jamie Holmes – signed on a dual registration with North Shields – for Gilchrist and within three minutes, Donaldson played a lovely through ball for the newcomer, but a defender got back to snuff out the danger.

Emley threatened when first an in-swinging corner by Ross Hardaker went right across the six yards box without getting a touch then Luke Parkin cut inside and his left footer was held by Catterick.

Ashington were always in the game and midway through the period, Donaldson slipped the ball wide for the over lapping Summerly who went into the box but saw his shot blocked near to the goal-line. Skipper Karl Ross was also denied from the rebound and from the resulting corner, substitute Harrison Clark headed wide.

In the closing stages, home sub Donae Lawrence was thwarted from six yards following a cross from the left – but whilst another goal would have cemented Emley’s victory, it would have been so unjust on an Ashington side who battled throughout and who deserved to return to Wansbeck with a share of the spoils.