Substitute's goal sees Ashington grab all three points on the road

Charlie Exley had opened the scoring for the Colliers early in the contest but 10 minutes later, Luke Rawson equalised from the penalty spot. Just before the hour mark, Hardy struck what proved to be the decisive goal that saw the Wansbeck side return home with all three points.

Whilst the super sub took the plaudits, Ashington will look back on an opening quarter hour when they could have cruised into a commanding lead.

They got the opener in the eighth minute when Kyle Errington found Oli Thompson down the right. The newcomer swung the ball across to the far post where it was met perfectly by Exley, who squeezed a firm header between keeper Henry Hampshaw and the post.

Two minutes later a delightful ball over the top of the home defence by Craig Spooner put Wilson Kneeshaw clean through down the middle with only Hampshaw to beat, but the striker was thwarted by the stopper.

Then Exley’s pass put Kneeshaw in the clear down the left but the forward clipped his shot wide of the far post.

Ashington – and Kneeshaw – were to rue those golden opportunities as the home side levelled in the 17th minute from the spot.

Ify Ofoegbu raided down the left and was sent sprawling by Nathan Buddle, with Rawson sending keeper Karl Dryden the wrong way from the penalty.

Three minutes later, Thompson was denied what would have been a superlative goal on his debut.

After picking the ball up from just outside his own penalty area, he made a surging run deep into the Stocksbridge half, cut across from left to right then unleashed a stinging effort which was fisted away by Hampshaw.

The incident deservedly drew warm applause from the crowd in appreciation of both the run and the save.

Stocksbridge got stronger as the half wore on and on the half hour, Ofoegbu took the ball past the advancing Dryden but shot across the goal, then the stopper repelled a drive from Jack Tinker.

The sun came out for the start of the second period – and the visiting rearguard had to withstand a bit of heat from the home side.

In the 49th minute, Watson was through on the left and placed his shot wide of Dryden only to see the ball strike the inside of the post, then the striker went past the keeper on the right hand side of the box but lifted his shot over the bar from a tight angle.

Ashington had been sloppy from the resumption but in the 58th minute – and against the run of play- they regained the lead with an excellent strike by Hardy.

Spooner provided the assist for the youngster, who nonchalantly clipped the ball with the outside of his left foot wide of the advancing Hampshaw and inside the post.

Ben Sampson had a stinging effort deflected for a corner then at the other end, Watson saw a drive pushed away by Dryden.

In the closing stages Dryden held a shot by Rawson and twice raids down the left by the home side were halted by superb tackles by Errington and Hardy.