Unbeaten run continues with draw at Ashington

Ashington  1       Whitley Bay   1

Tuesday 14^th March

A draw was a fair result between two well matched teams in this derby game at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday evening.

Ryan Keltie returned to the starting eleven following a lengthy absence through injury but Nicky Allen and Tom Gilbey were both missing. This was Whitley’s first game in more than two weeks and they took a few minutes to settle as Ashington had the better of the early exchanges. Former Bay striker Ryan McGorrigan was not far off target for the hosts after just three minutes but when Whitley did create an opening, Kyle Patton was clear on goal but was foiled as keeper Conor Grant raced out to block his shot. Whitley were now getting into their stride and with 19 minutes played, Patton turned provider setting up Thibault Charmey whose first time shot crashed off a defender and behind for a corner. Two minutes later, Charmey played a delightful chip over the Colliers defence and a well timed run from Callum Patton took him clear and he slotted the ball past Grant and into the far corner of the net to put Whitley in front. Maintaining the initiative, Patton then attempted an audacious overhead kick when he connected with a cross from Tom Potter but the ball flew over the bar. Just before the half, hour, Tom Flynn produced an excellent save to push clear a shot from Sampson. Whitley then threatened when Kempster played in Robertson but in taking a second touch rather than shooting first time, he allowed the home defence to block his effort. Four minutes later Ben Harmison hit the base of the Bay post with a powerful volley. Ashington were coming more into the game again and a free kick five minutes before the interval led to the equaliser as Henderson floated the ball into the Bay goalmouth where Harmison headed home to send the sides in level at the interval.

Four minutes after the restart, Kempster was narrowly off target for Whitley, who then forced two corners in quick succession. Tiffoney then fired over the bar for Ashington before Andy Robertson’s low cross evaded everyone in Whitley’s next attack.

Chances came and went at each end as both sides searched for the winner, McGorrigan’s ball across the Bay goalmouth failing to get the vital final touch while Bay substitute Liam Brooks was inches away from connecting with an in-swinging corner from Callum Patton. Andrew Bulford had an excellent chance to seal the points for Ashington in the closing stages but Flynn did extremely well to get his fingertips to the ball and push it over the bar. Deep into stoppage time, another corner from Callum Patton beat the home defence and also the inrushing Tom Potter.

The point extended Whitley’s unbeaten run to five games and keeps them in eighth place, but frustratingly, they now face another free weekend with their next game not until a week on Saturday when they travel to Dunston UTS.

WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Haley, McDonald, C Patton, Anderson, Keltie(Wilkinson 65mins), Potter, Charmey, Robertson(Brooks 79mins), Kempster, K Patton(Glen-Ravenhill 74mins)

Substitutes not used: Shanks, Moore

Referee: Jonathan Urwin

Cautions: Anderson, C Patton

Attendance: 225

Match photos here

After an evenly contested game, manager Marc Nash acknowledged that a draw was an accurate reflection of the contest against one of his former sides.

“I always enjoy going back to Ashington and being my last club during my playing days I always look out for their results and I also consider the three lads in their management team as personal friends and their welcome is always first class. However, once the first ball was kicked that’s as far as the sentiment went. We were desperate to keep our unbeaten run going and I thought we were outstanding in the first half hour with both Kempster and Potter at the heart of everything. Kyle Patton had a great chance one-on-one but big brother Callum showed him the way with tidy finish. We deserved to be in front and we were a bit unlucky not to add to the scoreline. I felt that was a critical stage because Ashington seemed a little dispirited because of our dominance but we never capitalised and to be fair Ashington ended the half very strongly and we knew the threat they posed from set-pieces but they’ve managed to get back on terms from a silly foul we’ve given away. Second half was very different as nobody dominated possession and the longer it went on it became a bit like a basketball match with the teams counter attacking each other. Quite how we never managed to score from two late set-pieces is beyond me as we are talking inches but Ashington may also feel the same as they had a few crosses flashing across the goalmouth plus Tom has made a great save from Bulford. On reflection a draw is probably a fair result and I’m delighted our young team handled an aerial bombardment and they are not wilting under pressure. They are a very honest group and giving their all for the shirt which alone is pleasing to see!”