Ashington boss takes positive from defeat in final warm-up before FA Cup clash

The Colliers – who went into the game on the back of an impressive draw against Morpeth Town – did have some enjoyable moments in the first period but manager Ian Skinner admitted afterwards that his side had conceded three ‘avoidable’ goals.

The home side started brightly and in the seventh minute a great patient build up ended with ‘keeper Jim Atkinson clinging hold of a shot from Craig Spooner.

Shortly afterwards, a searching ball out of defence by Nathan Buddle found Dan Maguire who laid off to Spooner but after cutting inside, the midfielder’s shot trickled past the post.

Workington responded with a quick break and when Kofie Moore broke clear down the right, his cross shot fizzed wide.

At the other end, Cameron Gascoigne had a chance but Finn Wallbank got back to stave off the danger.

On the quarter hour, Ashington were caught out again and when Moore made a beeline for goal, only a terrific tackle by Buddle thwarted him.

Another opportunity came Gascoigne’s way midway through the half but after moving inside, he curled his effort over the bar.

On the half hour, Moore escaped the back line and was clear on goal but his effort was superbly blocked by ‘keeper Ross Coombe with his legs.

The Reds broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when a low snap shot from 25 yards by Reilly crept inside Coombe’s right hand post.

Then two minutes before the interval, the visitors doubled their lead when Reilly pounced on an error and fired the ball into the far corner across Coombe.

Seconds before half time following a short corner on the right, a chipped effort from Karl Ross was cleared off the line by Aidan Roxburgh.

The only highlight in the second period came in the 57 th minute when Reilly completed his hat-trick with a cool finish after capitalising on another mistake in the home rearguard.

It was Ashington’s final warm up game ahead of Saturday’s curtain raiser in the Emirates FA Cup against North Shields.

Skinner said: “In the early part of the game, I thought we caused Workington one or two problems where they hadn’t really managed to get to grips with how we were trying to play and set up.

"We started quite brightly and were taking the ball in tight areas and looked comfortable to move it but probably the story of the game was our playing out and build up play which was really good.

"However, I just thought we got into some great areas beyond their midfield and in front and behind their defence but we were a little bit loose and a little bit slack in the final third. For all the good play that we did have, my criticism or downside is that we didn’t threaten the goal anywhere near enough as we should have done.”

He continued: “We came in at half time 2-0 down and both goals were really poor to concede. The first is a long range effort where we haven’t got out and closed the ball – but it actually came from us giving the ball away in a really good position in their half.

“The second is an individual mistake as was the third - and I take some of the responsibility for that because of what I am asking the players to do and the way they are trying to do it and I’d far rather they made mistakes today and learn from them if they were to be in the same situation this Saturday.”

He went on: “The three goals were avoidable - other than that I don’t think our goalkeepers have had to make what you would label as brilliant saves. Ross Coombe made a stop in the first half where he saved the ball with his legs whilst at the other end we haven’t worked their goalkeeper anywhere near enough.

"Second half when they (Workington) got to grips a little bit with how we were playing, they’ve probably been a little bit stronger than us and then a whole host of changes from both teams really disrupted the flow and I thought we just got a little bit loose towards the end.

"Even some of the good build up and approach play we had seen in the first half started to become a bit sloppy and in the end the game petered out a little bit and it became about managing minutes – but overall it was a really good work out.”

He concluded: “I’ve got to say a big thank you to Workington for making the travel across and giving us the game and hopefully it was beneficial for them as well. I thought there were lots of things to be pleased about in our performance whilst there were also things to work on – like our creating and finishing in the opposition’s final third and cutting out or minimising those little mistakes which have cost us goals today.”