Ashington CC skipper says his side have to 'kick on' as the season draws to a close

The hosts posted 253-5 from 58 overs with skipper Chris Youldon top scoring with 85.

Youldon batted in tandem with Jack Johnson, who finished unbeaten on 42 – the pair adding 122 for the fifth wicket. Micky Allan also smashed a half century, scoring 54.

For the Mighty Acorns, Ben Harmison took 3-14 from six overs.

In reply, Cam Nichols, who opened the innings, hit 40 from 46 balls including five fours and one six. McCafferty and Matty Potts chipped in with 24 apiece before the visitors were bowled out for 142, Allan finishing with figures of 4-42.

Now skipper McCafferty is hoping that with six games of the season remaining, his squad – with consecutive home matches coming up against Chester-le-Street and Felling – not only bounce back but play their ‘best brand of cricket’.

“The only focus is for us to stop making the same mistakes, add a bit of belief and let us have a big push for those final six games,” he commented.

“We are second in the league and only once or twice have we been anywhere near our best this season.

“There should be a lot more to come from us but the lads have to believe that and look to push and kick on, in what should be an exciting end to the season.

“We wanted to be going into the last few games of the season with a chance of winning the league and that hasn’t changed, but to be in that position we are going to have to play a lot better.”

He continued: “I want us to play the best brand of cricket that we can and if we do that then everything else will look after itself.

“The fact that the leaders Burnmoor lost against Burnopfield on Saturday probably shows the strength of the league where anybody can beat anybody and there have been some other strange results today.

“It would have been great if we had won and caught Burnmoor up, but credit to Sunderland because they fully deserved to beat us.

“We were massively below par and I’m hoping the lads will take stock. With two consecutive home games coming up against Chester-le-Street and Felling it should serve as motivation, but we need to come out of that playing better cricket.”

The skipper said his side’s batting has got to improve.

“We are making the same mistakes and shooting ourselves in the foot,” he added.

“We are behind the eight ball. We were 62-5 which changes the situation for the lads coming into bat because the focus switches more from winning the game to not losing it, but it shouldn’t happen as early as it is.

“We’ve spoken over the last two weeks about people needing to take responsibility and standing up to be counted because at the minute we’re not doing that.”