Ashington 3 Northallerton Town 1

NORTHALLERTON Town’s poor run of results in the STL Northern League Division Two continued when they lost 3-1 at First Division side Ashington in the FA Cup first qualifying round.

Ashington were having the better of the game and they went close in the tenth minute when Jonathon Godsmark made a great run down the left flank before cutting in and, from the angle of the penalty area, he hit a low drive into the side-netting.

But Godsmark wasn’t to be denied and, a minute later, he made amends when he picked the ball up 25 yards out and, after side-stepping a defender, hit a fine shot which, although keeper Craggs got a hand to, he couldn’t prevent the ball going into the net.

Ashington continued to press and a cross from Steven Shaw was headed just over the bar by Andrew Johnson.

The home side doubled their lead in the 20th minute through David Mullen, who easily beat Craggs with a drive from just outside the area.

The one-way traffic continued and a strike from Stephen Young, in the 30th minute, crashed against the Town bar.

The overworked Craggs was again in action in the 36th minute when he made a superb low save to keep out a closerange effort from Godsmark.

Town produced a much better performance in the second half and they were given a great chance to get back into the game in the 50th minute when Allison was adjudged to have been dragged down in the area.

However, the normally reliable Martin Butterworth blasted the penalty kick well wide of the target.

Town pulled a goal back in the 74th minute when a long free-kick into the area from substitute Adam Gilroy was met by Allison whose header at goal was fumbled by keeper Dryden before dropping over the line, much to the delight of the Town fans.

Urged on by this success and with a strong following of fans behind them, Town threw everything forward in an attempt to grab an equaliser, but they were caught on the break in the 82nd minute when, following a good build-up down the left, the ball was crossed to Godsmark, who fired home from the right angle of the penalty area.

Town are in cup action again tomorrow when they entertain STL Northern League Division One side Jarrow Roofing at The RGPS Stadium in the second qualifying round of the Carlsberg FA Vase (3pm).