Match Report

By Brian Bennett

Ashington’s mini run of three wins in a row came to an end against East Division league leaders Bradford Park Avenue on Tuesday night when they went down 2-1 at the Horsfall Community Stadium.

After a ropey opening 20 minutes when they looked completely out of sorts and trailed 2-0, the Colliers battled back for the remainder of the contest with a wholehearted display and in the end deserved to take a share of the spoils back home with them.

Bradford showed what they are all about – and are top of the pile for a reason. ‘The Green Army’ went into the clash unbeaten in their first ten league games with five wins and five draws and from the first whistle oozed with confidence.

Nine minutes into the contest, the hosts broke the deadlock with an unbelievable strike from Joe Ackroyd. Following a build up down the left, the midfielder chested the ball down then struck a right foot volley from 25 yards which went in off the far post with ‘keeper Tyler Jones a spectator.

On the quarter hour, things got worse for Nick Gray’s side when the home outfit doubled their lead.

They cut Ashington open with an intricate passing move down the right and when the ball was played into Kareem Hassan-Smith, the winger rifled it into the far corner wide of Jones.

In truth, apart from it being a nightmare start, it looked as if it was going to be a long night for the Wansbeck side – but a change of formation and a goal midway through the period changed all that.

Ashington forced a corner on the left and when Liam Noble floated the ball over, Scott Lowery – ghosting in at the far post – headed home with a towering header.

Bradford were stunned but a few minutes later, Hassan-Smith cut inside a couple of defenders and his right footer was pushed out by Jones.

Then in the 34th minute, a free-kick from just outside the box by Marcus Carver clipped the top of the crossbar and went over.

Ashington were giving as good as they got and five minutes before the interval, Craig Spooner’s through ball for Ryan Wombwell just had too much pace on it with ‘keeper Jack Hall quickly off his line to intervene.

The second half was a rip-roaring affair, played at a ferocious pace but with chances at a premium – and at the final whistle, Bradford knew they had been in a game against an Ashington side whose energy levels went through the roof.

The only clear opening for the Colliers came five minutes before the 90 when Noble ran through from midfield but his effort lacked power and was easily taken by Hall.

Before that, Ashington stopper Jones had pulled off one of the saves of the season. Carver met a left wing cross from Charlie Winfield and directed a header which had goal written all over it until Jones spectacularly pushed it over.