By Brian Bennett

A brilliant second half performance by Ashington saw them book a play off place and secure a second from top finish in their Ebac Northern League first division season after a tense and nervy 1-1 draw against Bishop Auckland at the AJS Joinery Stadium.

At this stage, the Colliers do not know who they will face this Saturday – only that the tie will be away – with a decision expected to be communicated to them by the Football Association on Wednesday.

In a prestigious game where the hosts had to win – whilst a draw would be enough for the Colliers – the Wansbeck outfit trailed to a disputed penalty in the first half but got back on terms on the hour after Andrew Cartwright had converted a spot kick.

However on a day where the result was the be all and end all, Ian Skinner’s outfit were the better footballing side in the second period and indeed would have been worthy winners had they added to their tally.

They missed opportunities – but as they valiantly tried to nudge ahead, were also thwarted by Bishops ‘keeper Ryan Catterick who pulled off four top drawer saves.

Heavy and incessant overnight rain had cast a doubt over the fixture but excellent work by the ground staff ensured that the much anticipated clash got the thumbs up from referee Kieran Graham.

Before kick-off, the players, officials and supporters observed a minute’s silence in memory of Bishops stalwart Dick Longstaff.

When the action started, the first incident of note saw home striker Louis Johnson replaced by Wayne Whitfield after he pulled up with a knee injury.

In the eighth minute, the two blues won a corner on the right and when Craig Gott found Dale Hopson on the edge of the box, he fired off target.

Ashington responded immediately with Cartwright slipping the ball through for Scott Heslop but his cross was intercepted then a free kick by Craig Spooner from 25 yards flew over the bar.

Just over the half way point, Paul Robinson and Heslop combined to set up Spooner who turned but saw his shot go wide.

Then on the half hour came a moment of controversy when Robbie Dale appeared to pull out of a challenge on Dean Thexton inside the area but the forward went to ground and the referee pointed to the spot.

Gott sent Karl Dryden the wrong way from the resultant penalty and to make matters worse, Cartwright spoke out of turn and was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes.

Robinson looked to be in a promising position inside the area but his shot was blocked then just before the break, Dane Burlace pulled the ball back where Marcus Giles lashed over.

The Colliers had 45 minutes left to address the deficit – and they were straight out of the blocks from the first whistle of the second period.

Ryan McKinnon replaced the injured Dale and two minutes in, Ashington carved out a glorious chance.

A ball down the line by Robinson found Jordan Summerly and from his cross Harmison directed a header straight at Catterick who fisted the ball away.

Robinson and Spooner exchanged a one-two which ended with the former’s shot being deflected wide then a pass by McKinnon found Spooner who fed Heslop but from his cross, Harmison dragged his shot wide from 12 yards.

Ben Sampson cleared from the danger area following a Bishops corner then Heslop had a deflected effort which spun into Catterick’s arms.

Just past the hour mark, Ashington got the equaliser they had been searching for.

Darren Lough’s ball into the area saw Heslop sent sprawling to the ground by a defender’s challenge and the referee awarded another penalty with Cartwright stepping forward and sending Catterick in the opposite direction.

Ashington continued to dominate, playing some fine constructive football into the bargain. Five minutes later, Summerly fed Heslop whose dipping 25 yarder was superbly tipped onto the bar by Catterick.

Ashington went at full throttle as they tried for a second and with 20 minutes remaining, substitute Dan Maguire tried his luck from distance but the effort went straight down Catterick’s throat.

As the clock ticked down, supporters on both sides felt the tension but the visitors defended superbly and then in the 89^th minute, it was Catterick again, diving low to his right who kept out a 30 yards free kick by Cartwright which was sneaking inside the post.

There was a blow for Ashington in stoppage time when defender Darren Lough sustained a facial injury and was replaced by Damen Mullen.

Then came the final whistle …… which saw Ashington deservedly clinch their place in the play off.

By Brian Bennett  |  Match Gallery: Ian Brodie

Whitley Bay took all three points from this top of the table clash against Ashington at Hillheads Park on Good Friday with a goal scored by Elliott Day in first half stoppage time.

The Colliers went into the contest knowing that if they won, it would strengthen their own promotion hopes whilst at the same time bringing the Seahorses challenge to an end.

However as the league table stands with just under a fortnight of the campaign remaining, there are still several permutations possible.

Newton Aycliffe remain favourites to win the title with Bishop Auckland, Ashington and Whitley Bay vying for the play off spot.

On a pleasant spring afternoon, there was a good representation of Ashington supporters in the crowd on 783 – but they went home disappointed after seeing their side tumble to a second defeat in three matches.

Ashington started the brighter outfit and after only three minutes, Ben Sampson, Craig Spooner, Lee Mason and Lewis Suddick linked up well with the latter seeing his cross blocked at the near post for a corner.

Minutes later skipper Darren Lough, Dean Briggs and Dan Maguire worked a move down the left but it ended with home ‘keeper Dan Lister easily gathering a shot from Maguire which lacked power.

Whitley’s first threat came on the quarter hour when Bailey Geliher crossed for Mark Davison who headed wide.

Midway through, Mason played the ball through and it was Day who made a terrific tackle in the area to halt Suddick.

Suddick then let fly from 25 yards with a free kick which flashed narrowly wide before the home side broke the deadlock in the second minute of time added on for stoppages.

Following a corner on the right, the ball was recycled with former Collier Ben Richardson floating it into the danger area for Day who planted a firm header back across goal and inside the corner of the net with ‘keeper Karl Dryden rooted to the spot.

After a pretty mundane first period, the action at the start of the second half was intense.

Dryden held an effort from Josh Gilchrist; Spooner had a golden opportunity at the other end but fired over then a drive by Gilchrist was superbly turned aside by Dryden diving low to his right.

Ashington manager Ian Skinner gradually introduced his full compliment of substitutes and Adam Johnson – one of the five – played a ball through for Maguire.

The striker’s effort was blocked by Lister but Johnson blasted over the rebound. Another sub Scott Heslop had a shot pushed away by the home stopper before there was controversy in the 81^st minute which left the visitors fuming.

Sampson poked the ball away from a defender who clattered into him inside the area which sent the midfielder tumbling to the ground but referee David Mitchell turned down the Colliers’ appeals for a penalty – and when Sampson spoke to the official, he was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes.

In the 83^rd minute, Whitley almost put the game to bed when Geliher found Davison but his drive went inches wide of Dryden’s right hand post.

Even before they were reduced in number, Ashington had appeared to run out of ideas but they nevertheless kept going right until the end of the seven minutes of time which was added on.

By Brian Bennett  |  Photos: Ian Brodie

Ashington suffered a blow to their promotion hopes when Tom Romano slotted home a stoppage time winner for Whickham at the First Mortgage Glebe Stadium on Tuesday night.

For the neutral it was an exciting contest which went one way then the other but for the Colliers, who trailed league leaders Newton Aycliffe by three points, it was the game in hand they had over the County Durham side who now remain in pole position.

For the umpteenth time this season, it was the proverbial game of two halves. Ashington were bright and dominant in the first period and although they deservedly reached the break one goal to the good through Karl Ross, the lead should have been more.

Then second half, the Lang Jacks – kicking with the slope – were the better outfit giving everything they had in terms of work rate and desire. After scoring a controversial equaliser within minutes at the start of the second half, they netted twice on the counter to seal the points whilst Ashington’s recent newcomer Scott Heslop grabbed his first goal for the club on his full debut which at the time brought the scores level at 2-2.

And it was Heslop who caused the home side all sorts of problems particularly in the early stages.

In the sixth minute, he fired wide then on the quarter hour, met a cross from Ben Sampson to direct a brilliant header which thudded against the angle of post and crossbar.

Heslop was a constant livewire and later he drove narrowly over on the turn before he struck another effort which was deflected then turned around by ‘keeper Nicky Liversedge.

Lewis Suddick was next to fire off target after he met a cross by Ross before the home side registered their first shot after the half way mark with Robson well wide. Seconds later, Romano looked to be closing in on goal until he was stopped in his tracks by a great tackle from Robbie Dale.

Back came Ashington and after Lewis Suddick had exchanged a couple of one-two’s with Heslop, he shot wide.

But the goal which Ashington had warranted eventually came in the 32nd minute.

Initially the ball was played from the right, Ben Harmison got a foot to it to set up Jordan Summerly whose driven cross was blocked but the ball ran out to Karl Ross who clipped an effort inside the corner of the net on the half volley.

The Colliers deservedly led at the interval – but those missed chances were to come back and bite them.

There have also been moments of controversy in the last few games for the Wansbeck side and early in the second period, came another huge talking point which resulted in Whickham’s equaliser.

Darren Lough thought he had ushered the ball out for a goal kick but with no flag from the assistant, Romano picked up possession, cut across and slotted past ‘keeper Karl Dryden.
Minutes later, the Colliers were appealing for a foul which was not given and Dan Turner flashed a shot wide.

At the other end, Harmison met a cross by Summerly to send a left footed volley past the upright.

Ashington’s defence were having their work cut out by the lively Whickham front line – in particular Robson – and midway through, the centre forward cut inside then drove an effort narrowly wide.

Within seconds, the home side forced a corner on the left and Ross Peareth was not far away.

Then in the 72nd minute Whickham took the lead.

Ashington were exposed on the break and who else but Robson made them pay the penalty when his pace took him through and after side stepping Dryden, he slotted home.

Three minutes later, it was Robson again down the right who set up Romano but Dryden saved superbly blocking the ball with his legs.

In the 78th minute, the Colliers got back on level terms.

A move started in midfield by Dale ended when a cross from the left by Ross was turned in by Heslop.

Minutes later, Sampson found substitute Craig Spooner who had a great opening but fired over.

In the second minute of time added on for stoppages, the Ashington defence were caught out again and when the ball was played across, Romano hammered home what proved to be the winner.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington missed an opportunity to go to the top of the first division of the Ebac Northern League on Saturday when a late show by current leaders Newton Aycliffe saw them run out 4-1 winners at the SecuriCorp Stadium.

Two goals in the final ten minutes from substitute Jack Clarkson and Ethan Wood cemented the victory for the hosts but the final scoreline was undoubtedly harsh on a Colliers side who had gone into the contest boasting eight wins from their last nine games.

It was a highly anticipated tussle and deservedly dressed up as a top billing clash – Aycliffe against second in the table Ashington – but the whole complexion of the match changed on the quarter hour when Colliers skipper Ben Harmison was red carded.

Ashington – through poor defending – were already trailing to a goal in the fifth minute after a cross from the by line by Liam Jarvie was headed in at the back post by Jack Naylor.

The game went flat before a 30 yarder by Wood was tipped over by Karl Dryden and five minutes later, the stopper made a double block from Jarvie and Joseph Smith.

In the 38^th minute, Aycliffe doubled their lead when Smith played the ball across for Liam Adamson who made no mistake.

Shortly afterwards, the Colliers were handed a lifeline.

Oscar Eckley-Aldsworth was sent off following a tackle on Jordan Summerly just inside the Aycliffe half and after a delay whilst the full back received treatment, the free kick was played to Dan Maguire who lashed the ball home from 20 yards.

Ashington were now in the ascendancy and consequently the half time whistle came as a relief for the home side.

Early doors after the break, Dryden gathered well from a shot by Wood then Maguire played the ball square to Ben Sampson but he blazed over.

Another key turning point arrived in the 55^th minute when a low shot by Maguire took a deflection off Dean Briggs and rolled along the goal-line before going out for a goal kick.

That was as good as it got for the Colliers whilst their opponents came on strongly in the final quarter hour.

Sub Clarkson rolled a ball across the face with Adamson just missing out then Naylor drove wide.

But with eight minutes of the 90 left, Clarkson cut across from left to right and rifled in a decisive third for Aycliffe.

And in the third minute of time added on, a clever flick by sub Charlie Dawson set up Wood who curled a superb effort wide of Dryden and inside the far corner of the net.

NOTE: FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL APPEAL, BEN HARMISON’S RED CARD WAS RESCINDED AND EXPUNGED FROM THE RECORDS.