‘Fair result,’ but Ashington boss Skinner is still disappointed

Skinner said afterwards: “My initial reaction is one of disappointment if I’m honest because on two occasions in the game we were two goals ahead.

"To be fair to Consett started the game brighter than we did and we probably scored slightly against the run of play and then we scored another one quickly. But for whatever reason as a team we don’t defend well enough and make it difficult enough for the opposition.

"There were two attacking minded teams out there today and we conceded a really poor goal allowing Scott Heslop a free header to make it 2-1 followed by an equaliser from Dale Pearson. But by hook or by crook we go 3-2 ahead after Dean Briggs scores an outrageous goal in added on time at the end of the first half, where he takes a fantastic first touch from just inside the Consett half then turns and puts the ball over the ‘keepers head.”

He continued: “At half time we talked about how we can play and what we do when we have got the ball and what we do when we haven’t got the ball. We went 4-2 up after a brilliant move and goal then for a period of 10-15 minutes, the game had a lull which suited us because it wasn’t really going anywhere.

"Then all of a sudden we couldn’t put two passes together and we kept turning the ball over to Consett who moved it really well and passed it well - and when a team does that, if you keep giving them the ball, you’ve got to do an awful lot of running. We started giving needless free kicks away; too many corners away, and we had talked about their delivery into the box which is quality.

"Then it becomes 4-3 and we need to be braver at the front post. We talked about we had to be big and brave but it looked as if we turned our backs on the ball at the near post and Calvin Smith didn’t know a lot about it – the ball just hit him and goes in.”

He went on: “Consett kept coming and I thought it was a soft free kick which led to the equaliser but again we have made the referee make a decision and fair play to Jake Orrell who bent the ball into the top corner."