Match Report

By Brian Bennett

Ashington eased their relegation worries on Saturday when they toppled promotion chasing Emley at Woodhorn Lane.

The result may have raised eyebrows in non-league circles – but not regular supporters of the Wansbeck side who have played against four of the leading clubs overs the past few weeks and who have given a good account of themselves on each occasion.

It’s only natural that fans will point to the red card shown to Emley striker Joshua Ayres on the stroke of half time as being the pivotal moment when this game changed.

But casting that aside, Ashington – albeit with a strong wind on their backs – were excellent in the second half and full value for their win.

They pulled apart an Emley side who had started the game third from top and restricted them to one clear cut chance after the break which came in the closing stages which saw ‘keeper Ryan Catterick earn his corn.

The game started at a fast tempo with a lot of hustle and bustle but without any chances being fashioned.

Then on the quarter hour, two fell to ‘The Pewits’ from free-kicks in quick succession.

The first was a goal-bound 30 yarder by skipper Alexander Metcalfe which produced a superb save by Catterick low down to his right before Charles Barks missed a glaring opportunity after running onto a ball played in by Luke Parkin. Banks was granted a free header but placed his effort well over.

Ashington were already down to a wafer-thin squad due to injuries when Jordan Summerly was forced off midway through the period with Kyle Errington taking his place.

Two minutes later, the visitors took the lead. The goal was simplicity itself with Ayres hooking the ball home from six yards after a long throw-in on the right.

On the half hour, Craig Spooner registered Ashington’s first chance when his free kick was held by ‘keeper Callum Yam then Jamie Holmes got possession from a Spooner corner but his dangerous low cross was cleared.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time, there was an off the ball incident in the home penalty area which resulted in Ayres being sent off by referee Nick Vincent.

Seven minutes into the second half, Ashington drew level through Josh Gilchrist.

‘Keeper Yam saved superbly pushing out a header by Ben Sampson from a Ryan Wombwell cross but skipper Karl Ross clipped the rebound into the middle where Gilchrist lashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

The goal gave Ashington a massive lift and after Holmes had cut inside and fired just over, the winger put his side ahead with a sensational strike midway through the period.

Liam Henderson set the ball up for Holmes who unleashed a right footer from 25 yards which curled perfectly into the top corner between post and crossbar.

In the 79^th minute, the Colliers got a cushion of a two-goal lead. They had taken several short corners during the afternoon but when Catterick shouted to Spooner to ‘knock it in’, the midfielder duly obliged and when his flag kick was headed goalwards by Ben Williams, Wombwell turned the ball home left footed.

And it was Catterick who had the final say in the contest. Amir Berchil broke clear in the inside right channel but after bearing down on goal and with only Catterick to beat, saw his shot turned away by the stopper’s legs.