Ashington Snatches Late Equaliser Against Blyth Spartans in Thrilling Match

Ashington Football Club secured a dramatic late equaliser against Blyth Spartans in a match that ended 1-1. The game took place at Ashington’s home ground, with Ashington manager Nick Gray expressing relief and pride after his team fought back in stoppage time. After Patrick McClafferty had given Blyth the lead in the 60th minute, substitute Sam Davison scored the crucial equaliser in the eighth minute of added time.

Reflecting on the match, Gray acknowledged the emotional toll on his team following the recent passing of supporter Craig Dickinson. “Emotions have been all over the place this weekend, and it hasn’t been pretty because there have been some difficult times,” he said.

The first half saw Blyth Spartans start strongly, while Ashington appeared sluggish. Gray noted the shift in momentum, stating, “We grew into the second part of the first half.” During the halftime break, he urged his players to elevate their performance. “I said in the dressing room at the interval that we just needed to raise our game everywhere—with the passing, the movement, and not giving as much respect to the opposition as we had been doing.”

Following this pep talk, Ashington emerged with renewed energy in the second half. Although they conceded a goal, Gray praised young goalkeeper Harry Powell for his efforts, emphasizing accountability in the team. “He’s done smashing since he came to us. He’s held his hand up in the dressing room, which is fair play to him—but you’ve got to learn quickly,” Gray remarked.

As the match progressed, Ashington maintained pressure on Blyth, who began to retreat into a defensive stance. Gray noted, “We kept on going and they (Blyth) sat back a little bit, then there was time added on, and I thought we got our just rewards in the end with the equaliser.”

The Ashington manager highlighted the importance of belief within the squad. “I keep on talking about having belief and that we’ve got to put balls into good areas. The ball which led to our goal was put into a good area and Sam Davison has scored.” He acknowledged that while their goalkeeper had not faced many shots, there were positives to take away from the match.

Before the game, Colin Myers, manager of Blyth Spartans, described the match as “massive” and expressed a desire for a strong response after his team’s disappointing performance against Silsden, where they conceded three goals.

This match serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of football, where determination and belief can turn the tide in the dying moments. Both teams will look to build on this encounter as the season progresses.