Ashington manager Ian Skinner tells players to step up after defeat against Grantham

Ian Skinner was unhappy with his players' application in the defeat against Grantham. Picture: Ian Brodie

The goal kept the Gingerbreads’ hopes of avoiding relegation alive, with this victory lifting them out of the bottom two, whilst for the Colliers it was back-to-back defeats following last weekend’s 2-0 reverse at Carlton.

Although Walker’s goal was enough to give his side the three points, without doubt the real winner on the day was the strong wind which blew down the ground and on occasions made football almost impossible.

Ashington – with the elements on their backs in the first period – were the first to show in the ninth minute when Wilson Kneeshaw put the ball through for Connor Thomson, but his effort was held by keeper Curtis Hall.

Thomson then latched onto a pass from Ben Sampson and netted but the assistant raised his flag for offside and the ‘goal’ was disallowed.

After 25 minutes, the best chance fell to Ashington when Thomson was the supplier of a cross from the right. Sampson met the ball and headed downwards, but the ball bounced over the bar.

Minutes later following a centre from the left, Darren Lough made a great block at the back post to deny Walker then, when play switched, Craig Spooner cut inside but shot wide of the upright.

Eight minutes into the second period, Bradley Munns glanced a long throw-in by Sisa Tuntulwana past the post before the home side missed another opportunity.

Thomson raided down the right and when his cross was blocked the ball ran to James McGeorge – who was making his full debut – but he fired over.

Five minutes later, the same two players combined again, but on this occasion, Hall dived to smother from McGeorge.

On the 70 minutes mark, only a stunning stop by Ross Coombe kept the scoreline blank. Tuntulwana found Munns whose goalbound effort was turned aside by the home stopper.

However, within minutes, there was nothing Coombe could do to prevent Walker’s right footer from finding the back of the net to put the visitors ahead.

The nearest Ashington came to rescuing a point involved Spooner on two occasions.

The midfielder connected on the volley from a cross by Lough but his shot was deflected behind, then the number seven struck a low free-kick from 25 yards which flashed just wide.

Speaking after the game, manager Ian Skinner said: “We looked like a team that need the end of the season, if the truth be known, and if we don’t give ourselves a shake, it’ll be a very, very disappointing end to the season – and one which we’d look back on as underachieving if we were to finish towards the bottom end of the table.

“I’ve given them [the players] a little flea in their ear – some of them might not like it – but they need to step up now for the last four league games and show that a) it means something to them and b) that they want to be here next season regardless of what happens.”