Recap
The fourth meeting between the sides was similar to the previous three in that there was not much to separate them in another entertaining game in which Ashington came out on top courtesy of an 83rd-minute strike by Donaldson.
On a cold drizzle evening Bishops’ created the first opportunities, Johnson screwing a shot wide after Bartliff was denied by Catterick. On 19 minutes the energetic Bartliff drove toward goal and his shot was deflected into the air by Catterick for Martin to follow up with a header and open the scoring.
Ashington started to threaten and on 27 minutes Gilchrist drove past Norton from a low cross. The half closed out with a flurry of chances for Bishops, the best falling to Risbrough after a nice move but Catterick again blocked the shot.
A promising opening to the second half saw Johnson cause problems for the defence but several runs lacked a composed end product. Howard drove just wide also as the home crowd sensed another goal.
Hargrave was replaced by Halford but he change up front seemed to hamper Bishops as Ashington began to take charge and what proved to be the winner arrived when substitute Donaldson pounced on a loose ball to score.
Catterick then produced a fine finger-tip save from a low shot destined to find the bottom corner as the former two blues keeper celebrated a successful return to Heritage Park.
Match report by Gavin Hadden
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