Body blow for Ashington as they battle to draw clear of bottom four

With 15 minutes remaining of the contest, they led 10-man Carlton Town 2-1 and were edging towards what would have been a crucial victory – only to concede an equaliser.

It was a body blow for Nick Gray’s outfit, and with wins for basement club Sheffield as well as Sherwood Colliery, the bottom four sides in the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League are separated by a mere five points.

Saturday’s encounter was low-key – until it exploded at various stages during the first half.

With keeper Dan Staples suspended, Alex Curran – signed on a dual registration with North Shields – made his debut between the posts and the newcomer had to be alert in the fifth minute as he got down low to his left to tip round an 18-yarder from Alex Howes.

Play was uneventful – until shortly before the quarter hour mark when the visitors took the lead with a worldie strike by Lawrence Stewart Gorman.

From a corner on the right, the ball was headed out by Andrew Cartwright, but it fell perfectly for Gorman who, from 25 yards, unleashed a sumptuous right-footed volley which screamed into the back of the net, leaving Curran helpless.

Cue another period of uninspiring football before the final quarter hour of the period.

In the 31st minute, Josh Gilchrist was sent tumbling in the area by Gorman and after referee Tyler Dutton had awarded a spot kick, Gilchrist’s penalty was placed inside the corner, although keeper Felix Annan dived the right way and got his fingertips to it.

Craig Spooner was just wide with an effort which had Annan scampering to his left, but two minutes later, The Millers were reduced to 10 men when Oliver Clark saw red following an off-the-ball incident.

Two minutes before the break, Ashington got their noses in front after a fabulously well worked move and quality finish from Michael Ndiweni.

Cartwright played the ball forward where Ndiweni exchanged a swift one-two with Gilchrist before he curled a delightful left-footer from 16 yards wide of Annan and inside the far corner.

For the start of the second half, the visitors introduced Lamin Manneh for Khyle Sargent – and the change certainly worked as they were the better side despite being a man short.

Ashington threatened in the 52nd minute when a great diagonal ball from Harrison Clark found Cartwright down the right flank, but when he crossed, Gilchrist blazed over.

Midway through, Nathan Watson drove wide of Curran’s right hand post following a long throw-in by Gorman.

Carlton continued to press forward and in the 75th minute, after Ashington had conceded a free-kick on the touchline, they drew level.

A chip from the right of the area went towards the far post where it was bundled in by Dean Freeman.

Thirty seconds later, the speed of Annan proved to be crucial as he smothered in the nick of time to foil Gilchrist after a through ball by Spooner, then the stopper dived to his right to keep out a goalbound long-range drive from Cartwright.

In the 90th minute, he tipped over a 25-yard free kick by Spooner.