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.

By Brian Bennett

A rousing second half performance and a Craig Spooner double couldn’t prevent Ashington from tasting their sixth consecutive defeat after they went down by the odd goal in five against Pontefract Collieries on Tuesday night.

Although they remain in the bottom four of the East Division of the Northern Premier League the consolation for the Colliers is that on the night, two of the other teams around them also lost.

Before kick off there was a lovely touch when the Woodhorn Lane outfit honoured Alan Brown who was celebrating his 70th birthday.

Ashington’s own former England and Durham pace bowler Stephen Harmison presented Brown – the club’s long serving logistics manager – with a personalised framed home shirt. Many of Alan’s friends stood on the pitch close-by and along with the crowd gave him a massive and well deserved round of applause.

Absorbing the party atmosphere, Nick Gray’s side took the lead on the quarter hour.

They had survived an early scare as Jack Wilson blazed over a good opportunity but when Ben Sampson – who was making his first start for several weeks – found Andrew Cartwright on the right, the full back’s low cross was turned into the net by Spooner.

Home goalkeeper Dan Staples made an acrobatic save to deny Wilson an equaliser after the stopper had initially only half cleared a long throw in from Pontefract skipper Jack Greenhough before the visitors struck a triple blow in the closing 20 minutes of the period to take a 3-1 lead into the break.

In the 25th minute, they levelled with a 20 yards thunderbolt from Elliott Walker and ought to have gone in front shortly afterwards when Bailey Thompson headed over from six yards.

However, ten minutes before the interval, Wilson cut along the by line and when he crossed Thompson added the finishing touch from close range.

Ashington looked a threat when Ben Williams passed out wide to Cartwright who played a one-two with Spooner but the full back was thwarted inside the area.

Then in the dying minutes of the period, another long throw in from Greenhough which dropped right under the bar, led to ping-pong close to the home goal-line until Jamie Spencer netted.

What manager Nick Gray and his assistant Liam McIvor said at half time certainly had the desired effect as a rejuvenated Ashington side completely battered their opponents from West Yorkshire.

They got the perfect boost ten minutes inside the second period when Spooner cut in from the left before he curled a stunning right footer from 25 yards inside the far stanchion which left ‘keeper Will Mitchell a mere spectator.

Now it was game on and how Ashington – roared on by a passionate crowd behind them – did everything but find an equaliser.

A great ball over the top by Gary Ormston found Michael Ndiweni who danced inside and rolled the ball to the unmarked Spooner whose shot was blocked with Kneeshaw also denied form the rebound.

Two minutes later, the home side were almost caught out on the break with Paddy Almond clearing the ball off the line but after that rare attack, Ashington threw the kitchen sink at their visitors.

Harrison Clark hit the bar with a header then Ashington had two penalty appeals inside a minute turned down.

New signing Josh Gilchrist had been introduced and he struck a left footer which was held by Mitchell.

The final chance came in stoppage time – with the move worthy of a goal.

Jack Camarda found Cartwright who slipped the ball forward for Spooner. The midfielder crossed first time for the incoming Sampson but his goalbound effort from eight yards was blocked.

The proverbial footballing cliché of a game of two halves rang true but once again it was not to be for the Colliers who now go into back to back away matches against North Ferriby on Saturday (October 26) followed by a midweek trip to face Carlton Town (October 29).