Tommy Craig said: 

Nowt.

An enjoyable Friday night to round off a mixed season for the reserves, as the Senior Cup holders and the Craven Cup winners met in a friendly at Portland Park.

The home crowd joined the players in a pre-match minutes' silence in tribute to the Sawyer family, for whom this match was staged as a benefit for hit and run victim Kirsty Sawyer (raising £2,700.)

The Colliers dominated the early stages, with United keeper Smith making a point-blank save from Steve Sinclair on 17 minutes, but his opposite number in the Colliers goal underemployed.

Within seconds of Ashington taking the lead Calvin Zola was presented with a good chance to level, but completely failed to make contact with the ball from the edge of the area.

Newcastle were little improved in the second half, as sarcastic home fans chanted "are you sunderland in disguise?"

And it was Ashington who almost doubled their lead just past the hour, when a cross/shot from an unidentified sub struck the post of the goal now manned by United sub keeper Adam Collin.

It looked as United would fail even to manage a shot on target, especially when Zola again totally mishit his shot after good work from Damon Robson down the right. 

Thankfully though Lewis Guy popped up to give the final score a veneer of respectability.

Most committed of the toon players was Joe Kendrick on his farewell appearance for the club, the Irishman seeming to relish the physical approach of one or two home players.

PS - United donned their home kit, Ashington wore their blue away kit.

PPS - yes, the pitch at Portland Park was better than that at Kingston Park...

Biffa

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