Grimsby Borough 3-0 Ashington: Match Report

Grimsby Borough 3-0 Ashington: Match Report

The Wilderness Boys welcomed Ashington to the Technica Home of Grimsby Borough on Saturday afternoon, looking to build on Wednesday’s victory over Hallam and pick up back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

Ricky Ravenhill’s men did just that with a second comprehensive success of the week, once again coming away 3-0 winners following another good team performance, both in an out of possession.

Due to a few injuries, the new boss and his Assistant Manager Martin Woods stuck with an unchanged starting XI to the one that saw off the Countrymen, with Heath Richardson in goal, behind a back four of Sam Topliss, Paul Walker, Bradley Wood, and Grimsby Town loanee Alex Graham.

Alex Flett, Josh Venney, and Harvey Cribb made up the engine room, with Luke Ayris and Josh Clarke on the flanks. Kieron Ceesay was the lone frontman.

Jack Barlow, Tristan Drummond, Charlie Clements, Bailey Wright, and George Burton once again made up the substitutes bench.

First-Half

The visitors got us underway on a sunny October afternoon in North East Lincolnshire, with the early stages passing by with little action at either end as both sides strived to win the midfield battle and gain control.

Borough were looking sharp in possession, though, and pressing well against a Colliers side who looked to play out from the back.

We surpassed the 15 minute mark before we saw the first real effort on goal, Venney finding Clarke, who shot wide from range.

The Wilderness Boys wouldn’t have to wait long for an opportunity to take the lead, however, as good closing down from Cribb saw the midfielder intercept a pass out from Ashington goalkeeper Matty Alexander, before he was clipped as he got his shot away, the referee awarding a penalty after consulting with his assistant.

Ceesay stepped up to finish convincingly from the spot to put his side ahead on 18 minutes, with Borough taking charge of proceedings from that point.

In similar fashion to Wednesday evening, it was a commanding performance from the back four and three central midfielders, who were superb at winning second balls and picking off their opponents to feed Ayris, Clarke, and Ceesay; the front three once again giving the visitors backline plenty to think about.

While they remained in the ascendancy, Ravenhill’s men would have to wait until the 39th-minute to double their advantage, when a long ball ball from Richardson was nodded on by Graham into the path of Clarke, whose calm first touch allowed him to turn his defender and slot past Alexander on 39 minutes

Borough weren’t resting on their laurels, however, and quickly added a third before the break, as Ceesay flicked on for Ayris, who was struggling with a knock at the time, to take a touch and strike an effort into the bottom corner via the hand of the Colliers’ goalkeeper, putting his side in a very strong position at the interval.

Second-Half

Drummond replaced the injured Ayris, with the visitors making a couple of changes of their own as Venney and Flett got us underway for the second period.

As part of the Ashington alterations, Josh Gilchrist moved up front, and his pace was giving the Borough back four a few more headaches in the early stages.

The Wilderness Boys could easily have added a fourth in the 51st-minute, though, when Ceesay’s drive was parried out into the path of Drummond, who couldn’t quite get over the bouncing ball and fired the rebound just over.

Richardson was forced into a good save just before the hour mark, turning away Gilchrist’s strike from inside the 18-yard box.

At the other end, Clarke was centimetres away from his second of the afternoon when his deflected shot trickled off the inside of the post before Alexander pounced to stop it crossing the line.

Clements replaced Ceesay, before Venney made way for Barlow, with the latter seeing his free-kick from 25-yards fly over with a little under 15 minutes to go.

As we entered the final stages, half-chances fell for Clarke, Clements, and Drummond, who were all unable to get a clean shot away, with the visitors working hard to make some brave blocks.

Burton came on for the impressive Cribb, before the final change of the afternoon saw Wright replace Clarke, with the winger almost getting on the scoresheet when he latched on to a ball over the top from Flett, but was unable to set himself properly as his lobbed effort drifted wide.

Four minutes of stoppage time came and went with little action of note as Borough earned their second 3-0 victory of what has been an encouraging first week in charge for Ravenhill and Woods.

Bradley Wood was once again our Winner Winner Chicken Dinner Man of the Match, though the award could have gone to any number of players who shone in what was a superb team performance.

With no midweek game this time round, Borough are next in action on Saturday 10th October (3pm kick-off), as we make the trip to Pontefract Collieries hoping to keep this momentum going.