Match Report

By Brian Bennett

Striker Cole Kiernan netted a hat-trick as Guisborough hit Ashington for six at The dwmedia Stadium on Saturday.

At the same time, the Colliers picked up an unwanted treble of their own – a third consecutive league defeat – in what was a mistake ridden as well as an abject performance in front of their own fans.

The reverse was Ashington’s heaviest home defeat since October 2020 when they went down 6-1 against Hebburn Town in a season which was later curtailed.

Ian Skinner’s side went into the contest fielding a makeshift back four with Yannick Aziakonou and new signing Owen Gourley in the centre of defence.

Apart from a win at Thornaby in the Division One Cup, the Wansbeck outfit have recently nosedived in form but after they made a decent start on Saturday, no-one saw this level of performance or scoreline coming.

Early doors, Guisborough’s Ben Jackson cut inside and his rasping drive was fisted away by home ‘keeper Karl Dryden.

Ashington responded with a delicate flick by Bobby Taylor finding Liam Doyle down the right flank but his cross was intercepted.

Two minutes later Lewis Suddick and Taylor combined on the counter but when the latter centred, Craig Spooner missed his connection.

Again a good move started off by Gourley’s free-kick and also involving Danny Anderson, Paul Robinson and Jordan Summerly ended with a disappointing cross.

Midway through the period, came a key turning point. Anderson and Robinson worked a short corner on the left and when the former laid the ball off square, Spooner’s fizzing 20 yarder was repelled by ‘keeper Robert Dean.

Two minutes later and Ashington were on their slippery slope. They failed to deal with a long ball played forward with Louis Johnson sweeping a right footer wide of Dryden from 12 yards.

Nicholas Hood placed a header a yard past the upright before Kiernan got the first of his treble on the half hour. Dryden and Summerly got into a mix up and when Johnson nipped in, he pulled the ball back for Kiernan who slotted home.

The Colliers had a great chance to reduce the arrears minutes later. Dean Briggs found Suddick through the middle but he toe poked the ball straight at Dean.

Five minutes after the break, another chance went begging as Briggs delivered a cross from the right but Suddick’s header was directed straight at Dean.

In the 51^st minute, the game was effectively over after the home side had lost possession. Johnson whipped the ball across for Kiernan to hammer in.

On the hour, both sides were reduced to ten men. Ashington’s Robinson was red carded after a tackle on the half way line and in the aftermath, Keelan Wright-Simpson – who had been booked just prior to the interval – was shown a second yellow.

Ten minutes after being introduced, Guisborough sub Sam Webster’s effort from the edge of the box went across Dryden and inside the top corner to make it 4-0.

Ashington pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when sub Jordan Lashley slotted the ball through for Suddick who was sent sprawling inside the area.

Referee Zac Kennard-Kettle pointed to the spot and Suddick sent Dean the wrong way.

But minutes later, the Priorymen restored their four goals advantage when Karl Ross fouled Johnson in the box and Kiernan completed his hat-trick from the resultant penalty.

And things went from bad to worse five minutes from time when Webster got his second squirming a low left footer from 20 yards through the narrowest of gaps between Dryden and his post.