By Brian Bennett

Ashington missed the opportunity to distance themselves further from the relegation drop zone on Saturday when they played out an uninspiring goalless draw against fellow strugglers Grimsby Borough at Woodhorn Lane.

Victory for the Colliers would have lifted them up to 14th place in the East Division league table but instead in a game where there was a lot of huff and puff and little in the way of chances, the visitors remain one point behind them.

Nevertheless seven points from nine is a good haul for the Wansbeck outfit who only a couple of weeks ago looked to be locked in the bottom four.

However, it’s a case of leaping from one six pointer to another as Marc Ellison’s side travel to face Newton Aycliffe – a side in the drop zone – on Friday (March 13) and interim boss Ellison will be reminding his players during the week that it was the County Durham side who cruised to a 3-0 win at the Lane at the end of October.

Ashington were looking to make it a hat trick of victories following back to back successes over Garforth Town and Consett and they made a decent start.

Josh Gilchrist picked up an early yellow card for a foul on the touchline but a few minutes later, home supporters were screaming for a different colour to be brandished by the referee after Craig Spooner’s pass had released Ryan Wombwell.

The midfielder took the ball past advancing Grimsby ‘keeper Kian Johnson and as he surged forward towards an empty net, appeared to be tugged back by a defender but the referee waved play on and the visitors cleared.
In the 20th minute, Dayle Southwell had the first shot of the game which was easily dealt with by Ashington’s on-loan ‘keeper Ben Metcalf before the home side made inroads down the right flank through Spooner and Rory Powell but the latter’s cross was blocked.

Just past the half hour mark, Southwell pulled the ball back from the left but Mariners skipper Sam Topliss sliced his shot then the Colliers got in behind again but Gilchrist’s flick was wide.

There had been little to enthuse the crowd on a spring-like day but in the 63rd minute, Metcalf earned rapturous applause when he pulled off a stunning save diving full stretch to his left to deny Southwell from a 20 yards free-kick as the ball arrowed towards the top corner.

Minutes later, Paul Walker headed across the face of the goal following a short flag kick on the right before the Wansbeck outfit were reduced to ten men when skipper Karl Ross saw red for a foul on substitute Bailey Wright.

Despite their numerical disadvantage the Colliers played well and shortly afterwards, substitute Sam Davison had a clear run on goal but clipped his shot wide.

Then in the 78th minute, Ben Sampson – making his 250th appearance in an Ashington shirt – played the ball through to Louis Burns.

The sub cut inside and let fly but saw his effort superbly pushed over by Johnson.

In the final minute of the 90, Southwell had a shot cleared off the line by Ryan Donaldson and despite five minutes of time added on, the scoreline remained blank – an identical result of when the two sides met in the corresponding fixture in October.

By Brian Bennett

Chris Reid’s first goal in Ashington colours secured a vital victory against a Consett side who ended the contest with nine men at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday night.

It wasn’t a wonder strike but Reid’s close range effort eight minutes into the second half was all that mattered.

The result meant it was back to back wins for a Colliers side rejuvenated under the guidance of interim managers Marc Ellison and Karl Ross as they backed up Saturday’s 1-0 away success over Garforth Town.

All of a sudden the league table has a different look to it with Ashington – who climbed out of the drop zone on Saturday – now up to 15th place.

However Ellison and Ross will be the first to acknowledge that there is still a long way to go before the final round of fixtures on the last Saturday in April and they will make sure that their side will be fully focussed on the job in hand when Grimsby Borough come to Woodhorn Lane this weekend.

Like at Garforth, Ashington’s win on Tuesday evening was fully deserved. They shaded the first period and although the Steelmen showed more urgency from the first minute of the second half, the Colliers had their own bit of steel as a defensive unit and kept Consett’s chances down to a bare minimum.

The home side ought to have edged ahead in the 12th minute following link up play between Ryan Wombwell and Louis Burns which set up an opportunity for Rory Powell but the full back dragged a first time shot wide from 16 yards.

It was midway through the half before Consett threatened following a crossfield pass by Jordan Patterson but former Collier Will Constantin’s effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Ashington came again and in the 25th minute, Craig Spooner – on his return to the side after a six week lay off through injury – took a pass from Wombwell but curled a right footer wide.

As the interval approached, Donny Holdsworth struck a low effort which was superbly tipped around at the foot of his right post by home ‘keeper Ben Metcalf before the Colliers – playing with a newfound confidence – put together the move of the half.

The impressive Rory Powell found Josh Gilchrist down the right and when he pulled the ball across, Spooner didn’t have to break stride – but side footed wide of the far upright.

The visitors began the second period with more urgency but in the 53rd minute, they were rocked when Ashington took the lead.

Spooner floated a free kick into the box which was glanced on by Jeremy Perera – who was making his home debut – and in the scramble which ensued close to the goal-line, Reid got the all important touch to put the ball into the back of the net.

There was little in the way of chances and play was scrappy but determined defending saw Ashington repel anything which Consett threw at them.

However in the 76th minute, the visitors were reduced in number when Calvin Smith was sent off by referee Alex Clark for a second yellow card offence.

With only four minutes of the 90 remaining, substitute Sam Davison came agonisingly close to sealing the result.

Rory Powell found substitute Ben Sampson down the right flank but when he crossed low, Davison coming in at the far post, missed the ball by a matter of inches.

Just before the final whistle, Consett’s night was further compounded when Marc Costello was also shown a second yellow leaving the Steelmen to play out the last minute with only nine men.

By Brian Bennett

A late strike by Kurtis Turner kept Emley’s promotion bid on track and at the same time sank Ashington hearts after this Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division clash on Tuesday night.

Turner’s thunderbolt from fully 25 yards in the 84th minute clinched all three points for the West Yorkshire outfit who had found it tough going against a rejuvenated Ashington side who were anxious to put Saturday’s 8-0 thrashing against Redcar Athletic behind them.

Talk about chalk and cheese! The Colliers looked a completely different team. They held the upper hand in an opening period where chances were at a premium and overall deserved to take something from the game.

A corner from the right by Joe Stacey clipped the top of the bar and went over then on the half hour, Ben Williams – on his return to the Ashington side on loan from Gateshead – earned rapturous applause from the home supporters after winning a tackle near the touchline.

Ashington were playing some excellent football and they deservedly got their noses in front ten minutes before the interval.

Liam Henderson beat the offside trap as he raided down the right and when he pulled the ball back, it was only half cleared to Josh Gilchrist who rifled home from 16 yards.

Early doors in the second half, substitute Carlos Rodrigues fired a warning for the Pewits dragging an effort wide then Ellis Farrar lifted the ball over following a long throw in.

The visitors were the better side but once again there was a lack of chances until the 72nd minute when Emley got back on terms.

Following a corner on the right, the ball was played into the Ashington area and steered into the net by Charlie Barks.

Then came Turner’s winner.

Colliers substitute ‘keeper Ben Metcalf – on for the injured Matty Alexander – made a superb stop to deny Bailey Thompson but seconds later Turner let fly with an effort which beat the outstretched hands of Metcalf and went into the net via the inside of the post.

By Brian Bennett

Talk about being brought back down to earth with a bump!

After a deserved 2-0 win over North Ferriby the previous week, Ashington crashed to an all time low at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday.

League leaders Redcar Athletic were merciless and ruthless in their finishing as they romped to an 8-0 success and inflicted the heaviest ever defeat on an Ashington side at the Lane which left home supporters shell-shocked.

In truth, it could have been worse. Teenage goalkeeper Ben Metcalf – making his debut on a youth loan from Sunderland – made several excellent saves especially in one of the most one sided 45 minutes as a commanding display from the Teessiders saw them effectively have the game sewn up by the interval.

It’s not as though Carl Jarrett’s side eased their way into the contest – they went for the jugular straight from kick-off.

With only 50 seconds on the clock, the warning signs were evident as Oscar Fletcher headed over a great chance from a corner on the left even though the assistant’s flag was raised for offside.

Ashington caused their own problems. They tried to play out from the back, overplay and were guilty of losing possession.

In the third minute, John Howard advanced before his right footer came back off the post then debutant Danny Rowe had a goal-bound effort blocked by Metcalf who also denied Louis Johnson.

Harry Powell made a superb tackle to stop Adam Boyes but it came as no surprise when Howard edged the Seasiders in front just past the quarter hour mark with a powerful shot from inside the area.

That was the first of three goals inside ten minutes. The lead was doubled when Metcalf gave away possession and after the ball was played in from the right flank, Boyes’s effort crossed the line despite Ashington attempts to clear.

Fletcher scored a screamer to make it 3-0 then Metcalf kept out attempts from Fletcher and Boyes.

In the 36th minute, Rio May headed home at the near post from an in-swinging corner and Ashington were pleased to hear the half time whistle which brought an end to a mistake ridden first period.

The Colliers started the second half much brighter and five minutes in, debutant Rees Greenwood had a shooting chance but elected to lay the ball off sideways for Liam Wotherspoon whose drive was blocked.

Surely Ashington’s day couldn’t get any worse but in the 56th minute after Rory Powell had been upended in the area, Josh Gilchrist stepped up to take the resultant penalty only to smash his effort against the post.

Then as heads began to drop in the Ashington ranks, Redcar’s Louis Johnson took charge. The Colliers simply couldn’t handle the striker and shortly before the midway point, he fired the ball across Metcalf and into the net to make it 5-0.

The home ‘keeper turned the ball around from substitute Brad Fewster before Johnson undoubtedly scored the goal of the game in the 74th minute.

He charged through on a run of 40 yards then hammered a right footer inside the far stanchion.

Home substitute Sam Davison went close with a shot which skimmed the post before Fewster got on the end of a ball knocked into the danger zone to score Redcar’s seventh.
In the final minute of the 90, Curtis Round found Johnson and the striker duly completed his hat-trick with another unerring right foot finish.

The last occasion when the Colliers were on the wrong end of a hammering on home soil came at their former Portland Park ground when they lost 9-0 against Bedlington Terriers in a Northumberland Senior Cup clash back in the 1993/94 campaign.

Ashington face another stiff test at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday (February 24) when they take on Emley. The West Yorkshire outfit went second top of the East Division on Saturday night after an eye catching 4-0 away win over fellow promotion chasers Matlock Town.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington crashed to their heaviest home defeat of the season when promotion chasing Bradford Park Avenue won in a canter with a 4-0 result which left supporters of the Woodhorn Lane club shell-shocked on Saturday.

Without a fixture since Boxing Day due to the wintry weather, the Colliers were chomping at the bit – but they got knocked back by a block of gold bullion.

The West Yorkshire side, wearing gold shirts and socks, were on the front foot from the first whistle and banked the three points if not after quarter of an hour by which time they had sailed into a two goal lead then without a doubt when they increased their lead to three with just over half an hour gone on the clock.

It was a hard and miserable watch for the Ashington fans. In truth, their side failed to lay a glove on their opponents throughout whilst the Avenue supporters lapped up what was a totally convincing performance from their side.

That all began as early as the third minute when home ‘keeper Matty Alexander was forced to palm away a goal-bound shot from Connor Shanks.

However eight minutes later, Marcus Carver opened the scoring with a cross shot from the left which passed the diving hand of Alexander, struck one post then rolled across to clip the inside of the other before crossing the line.

Just shy of the quarter hour mark, the visitors doubled their lead. The skilful Kareem Hassan-Smith – who was a thorn in Ashington’s side in the corresponding game and consequent 2-1 defeat at the end of September – crossed from the right and when Shanks fired goalwards, Adam Haw diverted it past Alexander.
Ashington’s first effort came midway through the period following a corner when Craig Spooner clipped wide from the edge of the area.

However, the visitors came again and after Carver had headed narrowly over, they added to their tally in the 33rd minute.

Carver stabbed home at the far post with Prince Ekpolo claiming the assist and it could have got worse for the Colliers with Haw just off target following another cross by Hassan-Smith.

As it was, Bradford didn’t have to wait long to add a fourth. Only 38 seconds had been played in the second half when Ashington were cut open and Haw side footed into the far corner.

That was that with the rest of the game producing little in the way of goalmouth action.

Indeed, the only talking point came ten minutes from time when Ashington skipper Karl Ross was shown a straight red card by referee Elliot Cowens following a tackle ten yards inside his opponents half.

*Next up for the Colliers is a short away trip to face Heaton Stannington on Tuesday (January 20 – 7.45pm kick-off).

By Brian Bennett

On an historic day when the attendance of 1,488 supporters set a new ground record at Woodhorn Lane, it was a pity that the derby match served up by the players of Ashington and Blyth Spartans was out of place to match the occasion.

That detail will be irrelevant to all connected with the Croft Park club, who as a result,  moved off the bottom of the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League courtesy of a stoppage time goal at the end of the first half by Jack Foalle.

After a ball played down the line by Robert Kinninburgh, the live wire striker got on the end of a cross by Michael Fowler which eluded home ‘keeper Matty Alexander to score with a diving header at the far post.

In truth it was the only high spot of the entire game – a contest which was ruined as a spectacle from the fourth minute.

It was clear that there was plenty of tension with both sides showing nerves from the kick-off as they regularly lost possession.

Then came the dramatic fourth minute when Chris Reid, making his home debut, saw red.

Initially, the former Whitley Bay and Morpeth Town defender was aggrieved at not being awarded a penalty after he and Paul Van-Zandvliet grappled inside the area from a Liam Noble free-kick.

Play continued but with the ball near the touchline and harmlessly running out of play, Reid lunged in on Van-Zandvliet from behind and was sent off by referee Tyler Dutton.

Supporters had to remain patient as it was over half an hour before the first opportunity arrived.

Before then, both sides had had a half chance apiece.

Foalle’s cross-cum-shot from the left landed on the roof of the net whilst at the other end, Noble found Marc Ellison who fired over from an acute angle.

From the 32^nd minute play was non stop for a short period. Following a throw in by Karl Ross, Ryan Donaldson produced a fantastic slalom type of run through the middle evading a couple of challenges but when he ventured into the area, Kinniburgh made a crucial interception to clear.

Play switched with Foalle through on the right but with support, he elected to unleash a right footer which went over.

Fowler burst down the left flank but his dangerous cross was cut out at the near post by Rory Powell then Ross and Craig Spooner combined but the latter pulled the ball back too much for Liam Wotherspoon.

In the 44^th minute, Henderson’s effort from 16 yards lacked power and was easily held by ‘keeper Callum Dobson before Foalle nodded Spartans in front.

On the hour Foalle fired wide and Ashington cleared off the line from a corner before substitute Noah Millington dragged the ball wide from distance.

In the closing stages, Spooner blasted over from the edge of the area then Alexander held an effort from Millington.

The final piece of action came in the third minute of time added on when Blyth cleared the ball off the line but the assistant had his flag raised for offside.