COLLIERS STROLL TO VICTORY

Ashington 4 Newcastle Benfield 1 – Ebac Northern League First Division Cup final

Pandemonium.  An outbreak of pandemonium broke out as the Colliers were presented with the First Division Cup after a comprehensive win over Newcastle Benfield.

Ashington got off to a dream start and strolled to a comfortable win in a decidedly one-sided affair over a lacklustre Benfield team who never got going during the match.

The Colliers were mobbed and swamped by their fans as they celebrated the victory that started only 30 seconds into the game when No. 9 Lewis Suddick broke down the right wing before sending over a cross that was met by winger Paul Robinson who despatched the chance off a defender, with Benfield keeper Andrew Grainger injured as he tried to stop the shot.

They extended their lead in the 15th minute when referee Glen Hart awarded a disputed penalty after Dean Briggs was brought down in the Benfield area.  Suddick tucked the spot kick inside the right hand post. 2-0.

Ashington continued to be more comfortable on the ball and pushing forward, but they saw a couple of attacks end when they couldn’t find the right final ball.  Jordan Summerly sent over a dangerous cross into the Benfield goalmouth, with the ball cleared by Benfield defender Ethan Renney.  Craig Spooner pushed the ball up to Dean Briggs, but the No. 10’s touch put the ball too close to Grainger.

There was almost repeat of the start of the game – 30 seconds into the second half Ben Sampson saw a shot that dipped too late, with the ball nestling on the roof of the net.  The second half was a continuation of the first – Ashington in the comfort zone and Benfield struggling to get into any kind of rhythm.

Just before the hour mark Ashington bagged their third, with the goal of the game: a superb, curling shot into the top right hand corner of the Benfield goal by Robinson to double his tally for the day.

And they capped their scoring in the 62nd minute:  Briggs taking a couple of touches before cutting inside a defender and slotting the goal just inside the right hand post.  Game, set and match to the Colliers.

As for Benfield, it was a day to forget, with the team struggling to put Ashington under much pressure at all.

Their best player was Aiden Haley who tried to prompt attacks from midfield and it was fitting that he scored their goal – a quality, first time shot bent round defenders and keeper, finding the tight gap between Adam McHugh and the post.  Any hopes that it might lead to a fight back were quickly expunged when Ashington scored their fourth within two minutes.

In particular they were blighted by being caught offside time after time.  They had the ball in the back of the net in the 67th minute only for the goal to be chalked off for another offside.  A miserable day was compounded when Dennis Knight was shown a straight red in the closing minutes.

The day – from beginning to end – belonged to Ashington.

Mike Snowdon