‘Perspective’ is key says Skinner as Ashington hit ‘sticky patch’

After trailing to a Jordan Blinco opener shortly before half time, the Colliers were swept away on the hour as West scored three inside four minutes through Corey Nicholson and a brace from Cieran Jackson.

Skinner said: “Listen, I think the word for me today is perspective – because we certainly need to put things into perspective. Lots of aspects went against us today but in my eyes there were still positives to take from the defeat.

"We have now gone three games without a win and there was always going to come a point in the season where we would hit a sticky patch or maybes fall out of form a little bit and I think we might be in that period right now. I keep mentioning pitches but it’s no coincidence that pitches aren’t suiting us at the moment but we’ve got to be bigger than that and learn to play different ways.”

Skinner’s plans were hit in the hours leading up to the kick-off: “I left people out of the squad and then turned up on match day with people dropping out at noon and 1.30pm,” he said. “So on Friday night I’m ringing lads to say ‘sorry you’re not in the 16’ and then come 3pm on the Saturday, we couldn’t fill the bench - so that’s gone against us a little bit.

“In terms of the game itself, we started relatively well. I thought West Auckland started a bit cautiously and allowed us to have the ball and we’ve produced two fantastic moves – one in particular where we have worked the ball from left to right, gone in down the side, made a great cut back with a great connection at the front post and you’re just waiting for the net to ripple – but the West ‘keeper (Daniel Cameron) has denied us with a brilliant save.

"Then we have worked it from right to left, got wide and crossed the ball in and it’s flashed across the goal with the defender making an unbelievable block on the line at the back post. At 0-0, they were two massive chances and if they had gone it, it’s a different game.”

The definitive action came when West scored three goals in four minutes: “We actually had a bright start to the second half,” added Skinner. "West then scored three goals in four minutes whereby they got down the sides, played the ball inside and managed to square it to a free player in the box to side foot home from a maximum of ten yards.

"They were three almost identical goals - we are 4-0 down - and the disappointing thing is that when we go 2-0 down, we should get a reaction whereby we’ve got a bigger job to do now and we need to switch on and concentrate - but we got the complete opposite so that’s something we will have to look at.

"Yes we are not in the form we were in earlier but it’s up to us to work hard and get the balance right.

"We’ll keep things in perspective; we’ve got a good squad and we should be able to utilise that squad during this period. We just need to work hard; work hard for each other collectively and concentrate."