By Brian Bennett

Ashington gave their supporters some Festive cheer on Saturday when they toppled an in-form Ossett United side 2-1 at a windswept Woodhorn Lane ground.

First half goals from Craig Spooner and Josh Gilchrist laid a solid foundation then with the wind in their faces, the Colliers not only defended magnificently but were also the better side against the elements and emerged as deserved winners.

It was a much needed win for Nick Gray’s outfit and a boost ahead of the remainder of their seasonal programme with an away game against Heaton Stannington on Boxing Day morning (11am kick-off) followed by a home clash against promotion chasers Dunston UTS on Monday December 30 (7.45pm kick-off).

How the teams played the conditions was going to be a key factor – and although Ashington were good value for their 2-0 lead at the interval, the disappointment was that the margin wasn’t greater.

The home side made their intentions crystal clear early on when a long range effort by Spooner was on target but went straight into the midriff of ‘keeper Aleks Petrovic then the number ten went close with a left footer from 25 yards that shaved the post.

Ashington forged ahead in the 17th minute. Skipper Karl Ross picked up a loose ball in midfield and found Spooner who finished well tucking his shot wide of Petrovic and inside the far corner.

Shortly after the half way mark, only the thickness of the woodwork prevented a second when Wilson Kneeshaw picked out Gilchrist whose excellent left footer struck the bar with Petrovic beaten.

On the half hour and in a rare break, the visitors had their first sniff at goal when Lewis Stephens had a shot blocked but Ashington’s response was to add a second in the 37th minute.

Marc Ellison – on his debut – sliced the visitors defence open which sent Kneeshaw through from the half way line with a one on one opportunity but Petrovic did well to block with Gilchrist off target from the rebound.

However in the 37th minute, Gilchrist ran onto a headed pass and as Petrovic advanced, the striker lobbed the ball over him and into the net.

Barely sixty seconds later it could have been three when Gilchrist unleashed a left footer which was goalbound until he was foiled by Petrovic who saved well at the foot of the post.

There was a frantic start to the second half when within the first 15 seconds, Gilchrist slotted the ball through for Kneeshaw but his effort was cleared off the line.

In the 48th minute, the two strikers caused havoc again. On this occasion Kneeshaw found Gilchrist who cut the ball back from the by-line and Spooner looked a certain scorer until Petrovic somehow denied him with a brilliant save.

But the game was back in the melting pot within 45 seconds as Ossett halved the deficit.

A cross from the left to the far post by Will Calligan was touched home from close range by Eddie Church.

Despite the difficult conditions, Ashington were playing well and Jordan Summerly got in behind the visitors defence but his cross was cleared.

The Colliers may not have had Lady Luck on their side over recent weeks – but ten minutes from time they certainly did. That’s when Ossett skipper Josh Burns caught the ball sweetly from fully 40 yards and his wind assisted right footed effort thudded against the angle of post and crossbar then bounced away to safety.

After that Spooner was not far away with a free-kick – before the final whistle sounded to bring Ashington an early Christmas present of three points.

Before kick-off, players, officials and supporters observed a minutes’ silence as a mark of respect for former Bridlington Town goalkeeper James Hitchcock who died last week.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington missed a golden opportunity to claim all three points on Saturday in their bid to escape from the drop zone.

With 15 minutes remaining of the contest, they led ten-man Carlton Town 2-1 and were edging towards what would have been a crucial victory – only to concede an equaliser.

It was a body blow for Nick Gray’s outfit and with wins for basement club Sheffield as well as Sherwood Colliery, the bottom four sides in the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League are separated by a mere five points.

Saturday’s encounter was low-key – until it exploded at various stages during the first half.

With ‘keeper Dan Staples suspended, Alex Curran – signed on a dual registration with North Shields – made his debut between the posts and the newcomer had to be alert in the fifth minute as he got down low to his left to tip around an 18 yarder from Alex Howes.

Play was uneventful – until shortly before the quarter hour mark when the visitors took the lead with a worldie strike by Lawrence Stewart Gorman.

From a corner on the right, the ball was headed out by Andrew Cartwright but it fell perfectly for Gorman who from 25 yards, unleashed a sumptuous right footed volley which screamed into the back of the net leaving Curran helpless.

Cue another period of uninspiring football before the final quarter hour of the period.

In the 31st minute, Josh Gilchrist was sent tumbling in the area by Gorman and after referee Tyler Dutton had awarded a spot kick, Gilchrist’s penalty was placed inside the corner although ‘keeper Felix Annan dived the right way and got his finger tips to it.

Craig Spooner was just wide with an effort which had Annan scampering to his left but two minutes later, “The Millers” were reduced to ten men when Oliver Clark saw red following an off the ball incident.

Later after good work down the left by Wilson Kneeshaw which resulted in a cross, Gilchrist’s shot was held by Annan.

However, two minutes before the break, Ashington got their noses in front after a fabulously well worked move and quality finish from Michael Ndiweni.

Cartwright played the ball forward where Ndiweni exchanged a swift one-two with Gilchrist before he curled a delightful left footer from 16 yards wide of Annan and inside the far corner of the net.

For the start of the second half, the visitors introduced Lamin Manneh for Khyle Sargent – and the change certainly worked as they were the better side despite being a man short.

Ashington had initially threatened in the 52nd minute when a great diagonal ball from Harrison Clark found Cartwright down the right flank but when he crossed, Gilchrist blazed over.

However midway through Nathan Watson drove wide of Curran’s right hand post following a long throw in by Gorman.

Carlton continued to press forward and in the 75th minute after Ashington had conceded a free-kick on the touchline, they drew level.

A chip from the right of the area went towards the far post where it was bundled in by Dean Freeman.

Thirty seconds later, the speed of Annan proved to be crucial as he smothered in the nick of time to foil Gilchrist after a through ball by Spooner then the stopper dived to his right to keep out a goalbound long range drive from Cartwright.

And in the 90th minute, it was Annan who tipped over a 25 yards free-kick by Spooner.

By Brian Bennett

Talk about having a bad day at the office!

Ashington’s six pointer clash against Liversedge started badly for the Colliers on Saturday – and got progressively worse as the West Yorkshire outfit put four past them on a mild afternoon at Woodhorn Lane.

However there was an explosive start to proceedings when the home side were reduced to ten men as early as the fourth minute with ‘keeper Dan Staples receiving his marching orders following an off the ball incident.

The visitors were awarded a corner and before it was taken, referee Thomas James called Staples over then brandished a red card.

The decision was to have a massive impact – and two goals in three minutes shortly afterwards saw the visitors take a stranglehold on proceedings.

Central defender Ben Williams donned the goalkeepers jersey but was picking the ball out of the net ten minutes later when a right foot curler by Desmond Amponsah crept inside the far post.

Jack Crook added a second hammering the ball home on the half volley from the edge of the area.

Williams made a block to deny Jack Carr but Ashington’s ten men were certainly giving their all and on the stroke of half time they strung together a great move which ended with Bailey Geliher’s flick going just wide after he had latched onto a cross from the right by Andrew Cartwright.

For the start of the second half, Paddy Almond took over in goal from Williams and Ashington made a decent start.

A great diagonal pass from Gary Ormston found Cartwright on the right and when he played the ball across, Geliher’s effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Then a free-kick by Josh Gilchrist was met first time by Harrison Clark but his shot was tame and went straight to ‘keeper Luke Jackson.

However in the 53rd minute, Ashington’s already massive task took a further twist when Carr was brought down just inside the area by Clark and Alfie Raw netted from the resultant penalty.

Five minutes later, an 18 yarder from Clark rattled the post then the Colliers had shouts for a penalty claiming that substitute Michael Ndiweni was being impeded at the same time as he had a shot which lacked power and was fielded by Jackson.

Substitute Chinedu Osadebe went close before Mitchell Akresi added a fourth for the visitors, minutes after being introduced, when he fired home inside the upright.

To be honest, the scoreline flattered Liversedge with the ten men of Ashington putting in a whole hearted shift despite suffering a dismissal so early in the contest which changed the whole complexion of the game.

By Brian Bennett

Two goals in the first half by Connor Smythe and Bradley Dockerty condemned Ashington to defeat against table toppers Cleethorpes Town at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday.

The Colliers went into the clash full of confidence after their morale boosting 3-2 win over Newton Aycliffe in midweek but in truth never got out of first gear.

Consequently on a cold day, supporters were left even more frustrated by a contest which failed to reach any heights.

It was a game where chances were at a premium – but it was the visitors who produced virtually all of them.

Following a free-kick in the third minutes, home ‘keeper Ross Coombe pushed away a 20 yarder from Cleethorpes skipper Bradley Abbott.

However, the visitors were more clinical on the quarter hour mark when they took the lead from a restart, with Smythe heading home at the far post.

It could have got worse for the Colliers as only three minutes later, Connor O’Grady netted from a corner by Smythe but the goal was disallowed for a foul.

Curtis Bateson was the next to test Coombe, who again dived to his left to palm the ball away before Ashington got their only sniff of the half going forward when Ryan Wombwell’s ball in from the right went across the face of the six yards box with no-one on hand to apply the finishing touch.

The home side got themselves into a right mix up which gifted Josh Walker a run on goal but his effort struck the post.

Then right on the stroke of half time, “The Owls” added a second when Dockerty got the benefit of a ricochet and from a tight angle, fired across Coombe and into the roof of the net.

The second half was a non-entity.

Craig Spooner had Ashington’s first shot of the game in the 54th minute but it was tame and easily held by ‘keeper Ollie Battersby.

Coombe was called into action to save from Bateson before Dockerty fired narrowly wide of the far post.

Six minutes from time, Harrison Clark unleashed a drive for the Colliers but it was straight at Battersby.

By Brian Bennett

A hat trick by Josh Gilchrist brought Ashington their first league win in 10 matches after they got the better of Bridlington Town at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday.

In midweek the Colliers had arrested an awful run of seven consecutive defeats with a merited 0-0 draw against Carlton Town in Nottingham – after ‘keeper Ross Coombe had saved a 92nd minute penalty.

Not surprisingly manager Nick Gray announced the same starting eleven on Saturday against a side who sat one place above the bottom four – but the boss tweaked his formation.

Gray handed recently signed Gilchrist a role up front – and the move proved to be a masterstroke as the former Whitley Bay and Dunston UTS player was a livewire and in the thick of the action all afternoon.

However it was not all plain sailing for the Wansbeck outfit that were forced to do things the hard way after they trailed twice in the opening period.

It was the visitors who fashioned the first chance in the sixth minute with Alex Peterson heading over from a cross from the left but it prompted a quick response from the hosts with Ben Sampson finding Gilchrist on the left and his cracking ball fizzing across the face of goal with only a touch required.

In the 11th minute, Ashington paid the price for slack marking when the ball reached Sam Leverett on the edge of the area and he opened the scoring placing a left foot effort wide of the diving Ross Coombe.

Ashington grew into the contest and after a right footer from Sampson had flashed just wide followed by a 30 yards free-kick by Craig Spooner which was narrowly off target, the Colliers drew level after a lovely flowing move.

Wilson Kneeshaw started things off in his own half before finding Spooner inside the centre circle who passed out wide to on-loan defender Ryan Wombwell – making his home debut after putting pen to paper from neighbours Morpeth Town.

Wombwell then advanced down the right flank before he slotted the ball through for Gilchrist who caressed a side footed shot wide of ‘keeper Ben Voase and inside the far post.

However five minutes later, Bridlington forged ahead again after another defensive frailty.

A corner on the left was back headed by a home defender across the face of his own goal and Leverett – standing almost on the line – nodded the ball into the net.

The lead lasted a mere eight minutes before Gilchrist claimed his second – from the spot.

Sampson slotted the ball through for Wilson Kneeshaw who was blocked by Voase before the ‘keeper upended Gilchrist.

Referee Tyler Dutton pointed for a penalty and after a delay where the stopper received treatment and was also shown a yellow card for the offence, Gilchrist stepped forward and made no mistake, drilling his shot emphatically into the net.

Minutes before the interval, Bridlington almost went ahead for a third time but Coombe turned around an effort from Dan Hartley.

It proved to be a key moment as six minutes after the break Ashington completely turned the game on its head when they went 3-2 in front.

The home side won the ball midway inside the visitors half which released Spooner and after darting into the box, his whipped cross was turned in by Gilchrist who completed his hat-trick.

After that, chances were rare although the Colliers twice came so close to adding a fourth which would have given them some breathing space.

Sampson fed Jay Errington who cut inside and his left footer missed the far post by inches then in identical fashion, Kneeshaw fired narrowly over.

The Colliers were defending superbly but after substitute Ethan Harrison had hooked over following a long throw in by Josh Barrett, the visitors were presented with a golden opportunity in the 89th minutes to grab an equaliser.

Ashington sub Gary Ormston was harshly penalised for a handling offence inside the area but Leverett missed out on claiming a hat-trick when his powerful penalty thudded against the underside of the bar, bounced down and was cleared.