Colliers Go Down in the FA Cup

 

Front page of e-Programme (downloadable pdf)

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 22 August 2026 at Woodhorn Lane
Result	Ashington 2 Thornaby 3
Competition	FA Cup Preliminary Round
Hopstats	Ground #814 on the lifetime list and I’m here because it’s a good day weather-wise for a long drive and this is the furthest ground of my season priorities that is hosting a game today. I’m also very fond of early-season FA Cup games.
Context
Step 4 Northern Premier League Division One East hosts Step 5 Northern League Division One. Ashington beat Hordern CW 2-0 and Thornaby won 1-0 at Guisborough Town in the previous round.
Match Report
This was a good game for the passing neutral. Ashington almost gifted Thornaby an early lead by losing the ball in a dangerous central area with the keeper out of position, but calmed themselves by taking the lead themselves in the 11th minute. Good play down their left flank led to the ball being rolled gently past the visiting keeper Sam Taylor into the far corner, but it came back of the post. A valiant attempted block could only deflect Jamie Holmes’ shot into the roof of the net. Mid-way through the first half, Thornaby were level, slightly against the run of play. Home keeper Matty Alexander was judged to have brought down Spencer Walker as he was rounded. It looked a soft one, admittedly from the other end of the stadium, but Walker himself made no mistake from the spot. Alexander was soon called into action again with a good low save to keep the scores level but there was still no sign of what was to come later. Ashington led 2-1 at half-time when Craig Spooner scored with a well-placed shot after 37 minutes after another fluid build-up. My notes say that the scoreline felt right. Ashington had definitely had the better of the first 45 minutes, usually just missing the clinical final pass after some good approach work. Thornaby’s second equaliser came from the first corner of the half, just a minute after the restart. A textbook header from Jacob Thompson brought the scores level again. Thompson's header hits the back of the net in the 46th minute Thornaby were now gradually to take control of the game and on the hour Walker gave them the lead with a well-taken goal and the tide had turned. There was still plenty of time but Ashington struggled to get the final ball into the box to make Taylor work harder except for one good save in the closing stages. For the last few minutes Thornaby sat back more and played on the break and took the ball to the corners when they could. In this game of two halves you have to say they deserved their win.
So What?
Cliché time – Thornaby into the proverbial hat for the First Round Qualifying.
Pre-match Entertainment
No time at all after a 5hr journey! Caught up with the global news via the BBC World Service en route. What depressing times we live in.
Pix
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today we had Green (Matty Alexander) v Orange (Sam Taylor). Five consecutive incorrect predictions in a row equals the longest streak in my long sequence but as any mathematician will tell you these are independent events and this has no bearing on the odds for or the outcome of the next game. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 48% (106 from 219)
What Next?
No specific plans as yet. Step 3 priorities will be Redcar Athletic and Worcester City to complete that level, also Liverpool Women (at St Helen’s RLFC) in the WSL. Then there are 30 unvisited grounds at Step 4.