UTS Stadium

Dunston vs Ashington

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner has used several well know clichés when delivering his postmatch assessments during the course of the season.

On Saturday two from his collection were certainly appropriate as his side went down 4-1 against an in-form Dunston UTS side who are in a play-off position at the top of the Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division table.

“In football, you don’t always get what you deserve” lamented the Colliers boss after a defeat earlier in the campaign which was followed after the reverse against Sheffield last week when he said: “goals win games.”

And although the scoreline at the UTS Stadium on Saturday suggests an emphatic victory for the home side, in reality the performance from Skinner’s side deserved to earn them a share of the spoils.

Trailing 2-1 at the interval, the Wansbeck side completely dominated the second half but in the dying embers of the contest as they continued to push for an equaliser, they conceded two goals in as many minutes on the break which clinched the result for UTS.

On a heavy pitch, chances were in short supply but it was the Colliers who had the first in the fourth minute.

Connor Thomson seized onto a back-pass and clipped the ball past advancing ‘keeper Dan Staples only for Jude Swailes to clear off the line.

The opening period had been even but on the quarter hour, Dunston took the lead.

Ashington failed to close down Sado Djalo who let fly with an explosive left footer from 25 yards that whistled past ‘keeper Karl Dryden before thudding against the underside of the bar and Jack Maskell was left with the easy task of prodding the ball into an empty net.

Five minutes later, the Colliers pieced together a swift intricate move following a corner on the left,

Thomson played the ball into Dan Maguire whose effort was blocked and Thomson shanked the rebound wide.

However in the 26th minute following a throw in from Darren Lough, skipper Karl Ross ran onto the ball to side foot home a brilliant equaliser from 25 yards.

Just past the half hour mark, Ashington again shot themselves in the foot which gifted UTS the lead for a second time.

They allowed home skipper Michael Pearson space just outside the area and he struck a low drive inside the bottom corner.

Before the interval, Dryden held a tame effort from Maskell then on the stroke of half time, the stopper did well to block a shot from the centre forward.

Ashington took the game to their opponents after the interval and midway through, Will Constantin found Wilson Kneeshaw but the striker lashed over a great chance.

With quarter of an hour of normal time remaining, Skinner threw Morgan Dart into the fray.

Within two minutes, the substitute set up Kneeshaw whose effort was held by Staples then a shot by Dart was deflected for a corner.

However for all their possession and dominance, the Colliers were stung by Dunston’s third which arrived in the 89th minute.

The ball was played through to David Robinson down the right who advanced before he finished well slotting wide of the advancing Dryden.

It was a cruel sucker punch and just to complete Ashington’s day, Pearson played the ball to the left where Constantin chipped the ball into his own net.

It was game over for the Colliers but in a period of eight minutes of time added on, a 30 yards free-kick by Craig Spooner floated narrowly over then a header by Constantin was tipped over by Staples.

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Dunston vs Ashington

By Brian Bennett

Ashington’s involvement in the FA Trophy for almost 40 years was brief – as they tumbled out at the first hurdle against Dunston UTS on Saturday.

The game was effectively over by half time as two goals in quick succession from Sado Djalo – after an opener from Jordan Lamb – had put the home side into a commanding position.

Although the Colliers showed endeavour until the final whistle, their day was compounded when they had substitute Charlie Exley sent off ten minutes from time.

On a scorching hot day, Ashington boss Ian Skinner handed a debut to midfielder Paul Van-Zandvliet – signed from North Shields – whilst Scott Heslop made his return to the side after suspension.

The Wansbeck side were first to threaten. In the fourth minute Van-Zandvliet found Heslop who played a one-two with Wilson Kneeshaw but Jude Swailes made a timely interception.

The game was developing into a good contest – but in the 11th minute, the visitors ought to have gone in front.

Van-Zandvliet released the overlapping Jordan Summerly and when he cut the ball back, Kneeshaw directed a first time effort straight at ‘keeper Dan Staples who palmed the ball away.

It proved to be a massive turning point.

Minutes later Jack Elliott beat the offside trap but was thwarted by Ashington’s keeper Karl Dryden.

However despite the Colliers playing some excellent football and being the better outfit in the opening 25 minutes, they went a goal behind against the run of play.

Jonathon Chrisp played a pass across the box to the unmarked Lamb who quickly got the ball under control before lashing it high into the net wide of Dryden.

The visiting stopper kept out an effort from Djalo before another turning point arrived in the 34th minute.

After Summerly’s corner was blocked, Damen Mullen returned the ball to the full back who cut inside and let fly with a rasping effort which was tipped over by Staples.

Then within the space of eight minutes, the Colliers were staring down the barrel of making an exit from the competition.

In the 40th, a shot from David Robinson cannoned off an Ashington player but straight into the path of Djalo who slotted home wide of Dryden.

Within sixty seconds, the goal scorer was again denied by Dryden then in the first minute of additional time a fizzing drive by Luke Carr went narrowly over.

Seconds before the half time whistle, Dunston made it three after Ashington had lost possession.

Elliott raided down the left and when Dryden advanced, Elliott dinked the ball across for Djalo who had the simple task of tapping home.

It was basically game over but after the interval, the Colliers pieced together a superb move which ended with a stinging drive by Darren Lough going just wide with Staples rooted to the spot and then quarter of an hour later, another slick attack saw substitute Craig Spooner fire narrowly off target.

To add to Ashington’s woes, Exley was shown a straight red card in the 80th minute following a tackle on Chrisp and the game finished with Spooner hitting a shot which went straight down Staples’s throat.

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Dunston UTS vs Ashington

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Dunston UTS vs Ashington

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