Skinner delight as Colliers record back-to-back victories

The Colliers led 2-0 at half time with goals from Ben Harmison and Andrew Cartwright and when Lang Jacks defender Garon Garside put through his own net in the first minute after the interval it was just the start the home side wanted.

Whickham skipper Dale Burrell reduced the arrears in the closing stages before substitute Craig Spooner scored a stoppage time fourth for Skinner’s side.

“It was good to get another win and put another three points on the board,” said Skinner afterwards, “We knew it would be a tough game because Whickham work hard for each other and have got good team spirit and we knew they would come here and make it difficult for us."

Whickham missed a first half penalty which was probably key to their hoopes as they trailked 2-0 at the break.

“We’ve won 4-1 and if anybody had said that to me before the game, I’d have taken it,” said Skinner.

"We were able to take key players off after an hour and I don’t think you can ask for a lot more. It’s now back to back wins and although we are not quite playing as fluid and as free flowing as we did earlier in the season, what we are doing is still picking up results and that’s what matters in the division.”

Robbie Dale described Ashington’s 2-0 victory over Thornaby at Teesdale Park on Saturday as ‘job done.’

Ryan McKinnon notched his first goal for the club midway through the first half before a thunderbolt strike from Lee Mason 13 minutes from full time sealed the result.

Newcastle-born Dale - currently sidelined with an injury - was giving his postmatch verdict in his new role as being a member of Ian Skinner’s management team.

He said: “Squad wise we were short handed so the result was very much a case of job done. We also needed to bounce back because last week wasn’t good enough and we owed ourselves a performance to prove a point.

"We knew we had to come here and be strong. We also got a clean sheet and it’s been a while in the league since we had one of them – so all in all, it was the perfect away performance really.”

Dale continued: “We asked the lads to put a shift in and I think everybody’s done what was asked of them.”

Dale heaped praise onto the two goal scorers Ryan McKinnon and Lee Mason: “Ryan is a very good player who attacks the ball well at both ends,” he said, “He nearly scored from the previous corner and as soon as he got his head on the next one, I knew it was going in. For the second goal from Lee Mason – that’s who you want the ball to fall too. Ben Sampson drove the ball and committed the man which we had asked him to do and as soon as it goes onto Mason’s right foot, he lashes it and it’s a perfect strike - although I didn’t expect him to put it into the top corner.”

*On Saturday (Nov 5), Ashington take on league leaders Bishop Auckland at home.