By Brian Bennett

Ashington made it three wins on the bounce and climbed out of the bottom four after a 3-2 thriller against Ossett United on Saturday.

The result also saw the Colliers complete their first double of the season having collected a 2-1 victory over the West Yorkshire outfit in September but they had to work extremely hard before overcoming their opponents who were reduced to ten men in the early stages of the second half.

Once again, the wind whipped up at Woodhorn Lane and the home side – who had the wind on their backs in the first half – made a great start when they forged ahead after only 90 seconds.

Josh Gilchrist played the ball down the flank for the overlapping Karl Ross and when the skipper crossed, Craig Spooner sent a looping header wide of ‘keeper Aleksandar Petrovic and inside the far post.

Despite the setback, the visitors looked sharp in attack in what was a lively start.

Jack Crook was through on goal but a heavy touch by him saw home ‘keeper Matty Alexander gratefully take the ball just inside the penalty area.

Shortly afterwards, Luca Bolino charged clear and Ashington were relieved when his right footer flashed wide of the far post.

On the quarter hour, Alexander made a vital stop from a shot by Joseph Crosby before Liam Henderson struck over on the half volley at the other end after a headed knock-down by Liam Noble.

Henderson was involved again when he glanced on for Gilchrist but when the winger centred, the ball went across the face of goal.

Crosby had an effort which took a deflection to roll just wide before Ashington doubled their lead in the 44^th minute.

The ball fell to Gilchrist inside the area and faced by Petrovic, he calmly dummied the ‘keeper before cutting inside and blasting home.

Seven minutes into the second half, it was certainly ‘game on’ after the visitors halved the deficit.

The ball was crossed from the right where Samuel Pashley’s header from just inside the area went wide of Alexander and inside the corner.

In the 55^th minute, Ross latched onto a quickly taken free-kick by Noble but when he centred, Ashington again had no-one on hand to apply the finishing touch.

Two minutes later, goal scorer Pashley – who had already been booked – was involved in an incident at the far side and after referee Daniel Forbes had consulted with his assistant, the Ossett defender was shown a second yellow card followed by a red.

Gilchrist had a goal chalked off for a foul on Petrovic but with Ashington looking for a third and Ossett an equaliser, the game developed into an end to end contest which continued right until the end.

The visitors got on terms in the 77^th minute when the ball was swung into the area from the right where Ashington substitute Andrew Anderson turned it past his own ‘keeper Alexander.

Incredibly six minutes later, the Colliers got their noses back in front – with another own goal.

Noble’s pass down the wing found Gilchrist and when he crossed low into the danger zone, an Ossett defender nudged the ball into his own net.

In the dying embers of the game, substitute Josh Cairns and Spooner both missed out on opportunities to make the game safe before the final whistle brought another welcome three points for the Wansbeck side.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington’s bid to escape from the threat of relegation received another boost on Saturday when they defeated an in-form Brighouse Town side 3-0 at Woodhorn Lane.

The result made it back to back wins for Nick Gray’s outfit following their 2-1 success over Lincoln United the previous week.

However the victory wasn’t enough to lift the Colliers out of the drop zone with the Wansbeck side fourth from bottom of the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League on 20 points – the same total as Lincoln United, Bishop Auckland and Consett – but Ashington having a more inferior goal difference.

It was a deserved win on what turned into a mudbath of a pitch following incessant rain on a day when two other games in the division – Dunston v Hallam and Heaton Stannington v Grimsby – were abandoned due to the elements.

The home side – kicking with the wind on their backs – could have made a dramatic start in the third minute.

Louis Burns – making his full debut on loan from South Shields – closed in on visiting ‘keeper Michael Acquah who had the ball in his hands. The stopper then slipped on the turf with the ball escaping from his grasp but breathed a huge sigh of relief as he regained possession just ahead of the striker.

The West Yorkshire side looked the more threatening and after ‘keeper Matty Alexander had held a 35 yarder from Jason Davis, the home number one made vital blocks from Derry Robson and Jordan Barnett whilst Ryan Donaldson made a recovery run to thwart Nathan Curtis.
Ashington’s first effort of note came from Liam Noble as he curled the ball over following a corner but the game developed into a dour and drab contest.

However, Ashington got a boost in the 44th minute when they took the lead.

Craig Spooner played a short corner on the left to skipper Karl Ross who rolled the ball into the path of Liam Noble. The midfielder drilled an 18 yarder which was spilled by Acquah and when Harry Powell crossed into the danger zone, Josh Gilchrist applied the finishing touch from close range.

After the break Ashington were the dominant side but chances were non-existent until the final quarter of an hour.

Gilchrist charged down the right before he was fouled by a defender just inside the area.

Referee Stephen Beresford pointed to the spot and Gilchrist made no mistake from the penalty.

Then with six minutes of the 90 remaining, there was more drama including the home side cementing their victory.

Substitute Sam Davison – who had replaced the injured Ryan Wombwell – got to the ball just ahead of Acquah before he was clipped by the ‘keeper.

The offence took place inches inside the area and after Acquah had been shown a red card, Burns made no mistake from the resultant penalty, sending Barnett – an outfield player who went into goal – the wrong way.

*Friday night football returns to Ashington when the Colliers take on Consett on December 5 with a 7.45pm kick off.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington stay firmly entrenched in a relegation battle after they tumbled to a 4-1 defeat against Garforth Town on Saturday who produced a late show to leave Wansbeck with all three points.

It was all going so well for the struggling Colliers – who are third from bottom of the East Division and who were without a win in seven league games – when Liam Henderson nudged them ahead ten minutes into the second half but nemesis Luke Aldrich who invariably scores every time he plays against Ashington, netted a quick fire equaliser.

Could the home side respond or hold onto a precious point? Well they were edging towards taking something from the game when Garforth hit them with a triple blow in the final quarter hour as Jordan Emery, Dan Coupland and substitute Mutty Al-Jahadhmy all got onto the score sheet.

It took a while for the game to get going until the 11th minute when Aldrich was through but was thwarted by ‘keeper Matty Alexander, making his return to league action after injury.

Midway through the half, ‘keeper Harry Flatters slipped just inside the area and in the tussle which ensued, Henderson went to ground but the referee ignored Ashington’s claims for a penalty.

Garforth full-back Rinor Ejupi had the next chance when he latched onto a cross from the left but his shot lacked power and was easily taken by Alexander.

In the 34th minute, Coupland put the ball into the middle but Aldrich fluffed his lines in front of goal and Matt Savage fired wide.

Ashington retaliated on the break with Craig Spooner finding Gilchrist but when it looked like he had laid the ball on a plate for Jake Orrell, defender Joe Allerton appeared from nowhere to make a dramatic clearance.

Gilchrist was denied then shortly before the half time whistle, Liam Noble delivered a free kick to the far post but Henderson – on the stretch – put the ball wide of the
post.

Charlie Marshall had a great chance for the visitors but clipped his effort wide before the Colliers went ahead in the 54th minute.

Gilchrist did well to cross from the left and after Garforth had initially blocked the ball, Liam Henderson pounced to fire inside the upright.

However, three minutes later, Ashington were caught on the counter and when a long clearance by Flatters found Aldrich, the forward gave Alexander no chance with a sweetly struck shot from 18 yards.

Ball and Aldrich missed out as the number of chances in the game began to mount up then
midway through, Gilchrist slipped the ball through for Henderson but his low effort from 25 yards hit the base of the post and rebounded to safety.

The contest then entered a period where tempers became frayed but when things settled down a Marc Ellison-Gilchrist combination unlocked the door for Jake Orrell who was denied by Flatters.

Mutty Al-Jahadhmy had caused all sorts of problems for the Colliers when the two sides met earlier in the season in the Isuzu FA Trophy and after being introduced as a substitute, Al-Jahadhmy saw his shot take a deflection and spin up into the air with Alexander producing an astonishing save to thwart Aldrich from the rebound.

However in the 79th minute and from the resultant corner, the visitors went 2-1 ahead. The ball was glanced on for Emery who headed in from close range.

Aldrich had a good chance before Alexander made another excellent save, pushing a shot by substitute Robbie Wilson onto the bar. From the rebound, the ‘keeper went to punch the ball clear but made contact with the Garforth player.

Referee Harvey Websdale awarded a penalty and skipper Coupland nonchalantly tucked home the spot kick.

Then in the third minute of time added as Ashington pushed forward, they were caught on the break and Al-Jahadhmy added a fourth.

By Brian Bennett

It was the worst case scenario for Ashington on Friday evening after they lost their six pointer clash against Newton Aycliffe under the lights at Woodhorn Lane.

A night which stared badly when Josh Gilchrist missed an early penalty got progressively worse for the hosts in the second half.

“The Cliffe” scored twice in ten minutes then after Harry Powell had been red carded, they added a third from the spot with quarter of an hour remaining.Before the contest, the Colliers sat a point above the drop zone whilst the County Durham side were second from bottom.

The home side had the perfect opportunity to put their stamp on proceedings when they were awarded a penalty in the fourth minute.Sam Davison played the ball inside to Gilchrist who was upended by ‘keeper Kyle Seymour and the award was a formality for referee Elliot Cowens.

Seymour was yellow carded before Gilchrist sent him the wrong way from the spot – only the Ashington striker placed the ball wide of the goal.

Within a minute, Aycliffe broke down the left and Tom Henson clipped a shot just over the bar.Both sides were guilty of giving the ball away cheaply in what had developed into a scrappy affair then on the half hour, Liam Noble found Gilchrist whose right footer was pushed away by Seymour.Five minutes before the break, the visitors had the next chance after Ashington had lost possession but after cutting inside,

Scott Fenwick blazed over.At the start of the second half, Henson missed a good opening before the visitors took the lead in the 54th minute.Ashington failed to deal with a corner from the left and when the ball fell to Jack Clarkson, his low right footed effort went in off the far post.

The game started to open up and after Fenwick had scuffed his shot which was held by home ‘keeper Tyler Jones, Gilchrist had an opportunity at the other end but delayed his shot and when the striker went to ground under challenge, appeals for a penalty were ignored by the referee.Ashington’s task became more difficult as Aycliffe – who had grown in confidence – doubled their advantage in the 64th minute.

Joey Hope supplied a cross from the left and Fenwick applied a superb side footed finish as he steered the ball wide of Jones and inside the far upright.

Then in the 71st minute, Harry Powell tugged Kieran Greenway’s shirt with the Aycliffe player just ahead of the defender as he homed in on goal. The offence took place outside the area and Powell received his marching orders for denying a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Five minutes later, Aycliffe wrapped the game up. The impressive Henson – who had caused Ashington problems – made no mistake tucking the ball inside the bottom corner from a penalty after he had been brought down by Jay Hornsby.After that, the final whistle couldn’t come quick enough for the home side.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington threw away a golden opportunity to claim what would have been their fourth league win of the season against high fliers North Ferriby at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday.

After the visitors had been reduced to ten men early in the second half with Louis Kirk seeing red, the Colliers took the lead with a great strike by Josh Gilchrist.

But the Wansbeck outfit pressed the self destruct button with a sloppy piece of play which resulted in Charlie Clements scoring the equaliser twelve minutes from the end of the 90.

An uneventful opening period had been largely dominated by the visitors who ought to have gone ahead with the first chance of the game just past the quarter hour mark. Jack Walters whipped over a superb cross into the danger zone which was met by Lewis Dennison but the striker got his angles all wrong and directed his header wide of the upright.

Ashington responded and following a long throw in by Jay Hornsby, the ball went through a number of legs before it reached Ryan Wombwell. However the defender side footed straight to ‘keeper Ben Bottomley.

In the 26th minute, Tyler Jones was called into action, the home ‘keeper diving to his left to brilliantly tip over a free-kick by Elliott Walker.

Then on the half hour, Ashington should have broken the deadlock following a free-kick played down the right by Liam Noble.

Gilchrist got the better of a defender but when he pulled the ball across for Liam Henderson, the number ten stroked the ball wide of the far post.
After a mundane first half, there was an explosive start to the second. Within a minute, Noble was yellow carded for a shirt pull but sixty seconds later, ‘The Villagers’ had midfielder Kirk dismissed by referee Stephen Beresford following an off the ball incident near the touchline.

Wombwell volleyed a chance wide after a knock down by Henderson before Ashington went in front in the 57th minute following a counter attack.

Skipper Karl Ross charged through the middle before finding Jake Orrell who in turn sprayed the ball wide for Gilchrist who looked up and from fully 25 yards struck a venomous right footer which flew into the net past a startled Bottomley.

Twenty minutes from time, a significant turning point arrived. After a shot had been blocked, the ball ran into the path of Noble who from the edge of the area, tried to place his effort into the corner but saw it thud against the base of the post.

Eight minutes later, Ferriby drew level after Ashington had lost possession in their own half. The ball was played into the area where Clements calmly and skilfully dragged the ball back which gave him the space to steer a left foot shot wide of Jones and inside the corner of the net.

Henderson nodded over a cross by Noble but in the third minute of time added on, Jones made an outstanding save to preserve his side a point, tipping a 30 yards free kick by Walker onto the angle of post and crossbar with the ball going behind for a corner.