Match Report

By Brian Bennett

Ashington brought the curtain down on their second season in the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League with a single goal victory over Bradford Park Avenue at the Horsfall Community Stadium on Saturday.

Josh Gilchrist’s deflected strike ten minutes into the second half proved to be the winner in an entertaining game despite the fact that there was nothing at stake.

Ashington players wore black armbands and there was a minutes’ applause before kick-off in memory of former Colliers’ player and manager Cec Irwin who had sadly passed away earlier in the week.

Early doors, Bradford’s Connor Dimaio found Benni Ndlovu who curled a shot narrowly over the bar from 20 yards.

Ashington’s first opportunity arrived when Ben Sampson had a left footer held by ‘keeper Luke Taylor then Gilchrist’s diagonal ball to the right found Sampson and when he crossed in the area, a defender headed clear with Liam Henderson ready to pounce.

Home skipper Mark Beevers nodded a corner by Brendon Daniels wide then at the other end, a shot from Jamie Holmes was fisted away by Taylor.

Henderson set up Sampson who struck a drive just wide and within a minute of coming on as a substitute for Henderson, Max Monaghan had a shot held by Taylor.

Connor Shanks fired inches wide then in the 33^rd minute, the ball ran to same player after a fresh air shot by Paddy Sykes but his goal-bound drive was brilliantly blocked by the legs of ‘keeper Ryan Catterick.

Shortly before the break, Taylor again clutched from Monaghan and when play switched, Shanks was denied by Catterick who made a fingertip save at the foot of the post.

What would have been a moment to savour came in the early stages of the second half. Gary Ormston – who had announced that he was retiring from football after the final whistle – got his foot to a cross from the left but stretching, he put the ball over the bar.

In the 55^th minute, Ashington broke the deadlock.

The build up was good and when Gilchrist the opportunity, he fired in an effort which struck a home defender, wrong footed Taylor with the ball rolling into the net.

However just past the hour mark, substitute Myles La Bastide hit a ground shot which was creeping in just inside the post until he was thwarted by the excellence of Catterick who dived full length to his right to push the ball around for a corner.

Substitute Harrison Clark set up Gilchrist whose effort was deflected for a corner then at the other end, Catterick held a shot from La Bastide.

For the final ten minutes, Ashington’s defending was water-tight and the contest ended with the ball in the Bradford half.

The Ashington players thanked their travelling support of around 70 fans before they formed a guard of honour for Gary Ormston who went out on a high.