Competition: Northern Premier League - East Division
Ashington vs North Ferriby
By Brian Bennett
There were several aspects that contributed into making Ashington’s Woodhorn Lane ground an emotional roller coaster on Saturday.
Firstly, it was manager Ian Skinner’s final league game in charge and coincidentally it was his birthday. His players made sure that he had a day which he will never forget with a deserved 2-0 victory over North Ferriby before the icing on the cake came when they formed a guard of honour for their boss.
A home win would simply see the Colliers end their league campaign in 14th position whilst even three points could not propel their visitors into a play off spot. Consequently the game fell into the category of being a nothing to play for ‘dead rubber’ – but what transpired was an entertaining game of football between the two sides on a pleasant spring afternoon.
The Colliers ought to have gone ahead after only 90 seconds. Connor Thomson outstripped his marker for pace down the right flank and when he pulled the ball back, Dan Maguire jinked one way then the other before laying the ball into the path of Ben Sampson but he fired over from 16 yards.
Ferriby then got in behind the home defence and when Amir Berchil drove in a cross towards the near post it was cleared by the foot of ‘keeper Ross Coombe.
In the 13th minute the Wansbeck side broke the deadlock – with a goal from Andrew Cartwright.
Sampson found Wilson Kneeshaw who did a tremendous amount of work inside the area before he found Cartwright and the full back floated the ball inside the far corner of the net.
If Cartwright’s finish was cool, calm and collected, Maguire’s strike ten minutes later – after he was set up by Kneeshaw – was venomous. However the striker looked on as his effort from the edge of the area smashed against the bar and was cleared.
In the second half, the Villagers threatened when four minutes after he had been introduced, a shot by Harry Lovick was cleared off the line by Coombe then a whipped free kick from the left touchline by Matty Dixon was glanced narrowly wide of the far post by Josh Whitley.
Consequently when Maguire rattled in Ashington’s second just past the half way mark in the period, the goal came at the right time.
Sampson linked with Kneeshaw who again did remarkably well as he performed a great turn on the by-line before he crossed. Skipper Karl Ross touched the ball back into the path of Maguire who lashed home into the top corner of the net from 12 yards.
As the game entered time added on, a right foot sizzler from 18 yards by substitute Paul Van-Zandvliet went narrowly over then Cartwright and Kneeshaw combined to set up sub Craig Spooner whose goalbound effort was headed off the line by Jack Walters.
After the final whistle, it was nice to see both teams and the match officials applauded by all supporters before Skinner made an emotional journey through the guard of honour.
2 vs 0 
Liversedge vs Ashington
By Brian Bennett
Ashington slipped to their fourth defeat in five games when they went down 2-0 against ten-man Liversedge at the Clayborn Stadium on Saturday.
The Wansbeck outfit now occupy 14th place in the Pitching In Northern Premier League’s East Division where they will finish the season – even if they get back to winning ways in their final league game of the campaign against North Ferriby at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday (April 27).
However, for some strange reason – other than the opening half hour against Hebburn Town last Thursday – recent displays have been poor and Saturday’s reverse against Liversedge – in front of a terrific following from their supporters – fell into the same category.
In Cleckheaton, they had a great opportunity to go on and win the game as with half time looming and the scores locked at 0-0, the home side were reduced to ten men after defender Dan Hartley was sent off.
The Colliers suffered a blow before kick-off when striker Connor Thomson pulled up in the warm up with James McGeorge stepping into the breach.
The first semblance of a chance came on the quarter hour when Wilson Kneeshaw dribbled across the area but saw his shot blocked then at the other end, Jack Dyche had an effort deflected behind for a corner.
That was the goalmouth action in a nutshell for the half but in the fourth minute of time added on, Hartley saw red following an off the ball incident with Mason Hardy.
Six minutes into the second half, ‘keeper Karl Dryden clattered into substitute Eddie Church inside the area. Referee Matthew Langdon awarded a penalty and Alfie Raw sent Dryden the wrong way from the spot kick.
Ashington struggled to make the extra man count but just past the hour mark, a 20 yarder by Cam Gascoigne was held by ‘keeper Jordan Porter then Paul Van-Zandvliet shot across the face of the goal.
A massive turning point in the game arrived in the 71st minute when Liversedge added a second after catching Ashington out on the break.
Kwame Boateng cut inside two defenders from the right before he fired an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net.
Two minutes later, Kneeshaw intercepted a back-pass and clipped a shot past the advancing Porter but it rolled agonisingly wide of the post.
Will Constantin smashed an effort narrowly wide then in the 87th minute, skipper Karl Ross reached the by-line. He pulled the ball back where Gascoigne’s drive was deflected behind and from the corner a header by substitute Gary Ormston thudded against the bar and was cleared.
2 vs 0