COUNTER PUNCHES AND PACE WIN THE DAY

Whickham 3 Ashington 2 – Ebac Northern League Division One:

Whickham staged a remarkable comeback to dent the Colliers’ promotion ambitions after being down and out after the first half.

For 45 minutes it was effectively one-way traffic, with the visitors bossing the game.  The only bemusing part was that they were only a goal to the good.  Ashington No. 9 Scott Heslop was their cutting edge – in the opening 25 minutes he pulled a shot across the goal, put another over the bar and twice came within a whisker of scoring:  connecting with a cross, with his header thumping off the post and then hitting a shot that Whickham keeper Nick Liversedge only just managed to keep out with his arm.

It took Whickham almost half an hour to mount much of a threat – another Scott – Scott Robson – curling a shot wide of the post and then a dangerous cross by Tom Romano stopped with a last gasp diving block by Robbie Dale.

Ashington finally made their superiority count in the 32nd minute.  Whickham failed to clear their lines, the ball bobbled around their area before it fell to Karl Ross who didn’t get the cleanest of strikes on the ball but it was enough to get through a forest of legs and into the net.  Ashington continued to press forward but were twice caught offside as they went in search for a second.

Half time came just in time for Whickham.  They came out in the second half a very different team and within two minutes of the re-start they were level. Darren Lough lost the bsll as he tried to guide the ball out for a goal kick, with Romano finishing with aplomb.

It paved the way for a much more even contest, with the sides trading chances:  Whickham’s Shay Richardson with a shot saved with his legs by Karl Dryden, a first time Robson shot fired high and wide, Colliers No. 5 Ben Harmison hitting a first time volley hit on the turn going wide, Robson getting past a defender before dragging the ball wide and then Romano with a run and shot that was cleared off the line by Jordan Summerly.

It was Robson’s pace that gave the Lang Jacks the lead, taking a long ball past a defender and then calmly applying the finish. 2-1 and the game had turned.  Minutes later Robson won a 50-50 ball, passed it to Romano, with his shot blocked by Dryden.

But before they could extend their lead, Ashington found an equaliser – Ross chipping the ball into the danger area and Heslop finding the net with a diving header.  There was palpable relief among the visiting contingent.  The game swung again; this time it was the visitors who found fresh impetus.

But Whickham snatched victory in the 93rd minute, Robson hitting the ball across to Romano who applied the finishing touch with a superb volley.  The comeback was complete.

Mike Snowdon