Following a very busy week last week, this week is somewhat quieter, and I’m happy with that! I decided it would either be a game tonight or a game tomorrow, but I quite fancied doing a game tonight throughout the day. Looking at the fixtures, it was probably always going to be this game or Hebburn Town, and I did quite fancy Hebburn as I haven’t been since they were promoted, but it’s also been a while since I was at Washington (their first game at their new ground) and Washington is more convenient so Washington it was. This was game 100 of the season, and it may be a memorable 100th game of the season, but not for good reasons! It was possibly the worst game I’ve seen this season. The upcoming week or so is looking rather quiet too. I’ll probably be at Sunderland West End on Friday night, but I won’t be at a game on Saturday. Next Wednesday will be spent at Easington, and I may do a game on Tuesday too.

Match report:

Esh Winning pick up three points at Washington

Esh Winning extended their unbeaten run to five games with a 0-1 win at Washington on Tuesday night.

In a poor game, Cobi Jones’ 83rd minute strike gave Esh Winning the three points against a Washington side who played the final quarter of an hour with ten men after Jak Hanson was sent off.

On a wet and windy night in Washington, the pitch was heavy, and that contributed to a very forgettable game.

Upon kick-off, it took 18 minutes for the first half chance as Hanson fired well over for Washington.

As Esh Winning went forward in the opening half hour, they drilled a couple of balls across the face of goal. They may have been shots, but even if so, they were very simple for Alex Lawrence in the Washington goal.

Ten minutes before the break, Esh Winning had a good little spell, and it was definitely the best spell either side created in the first half. A deep cross from the visitors picked out Jack Mortimer in the 34th minute, but his shot back across goal failed to find the target.

Two minutes later, Jones went close for Esh Winning with a flicked backwards header, and it forced a save from Lawrence.

That was that for the first half.

The second half was 18 minutes old by the time of its first chance. It came when Jones went for goal with a 20-yard strike for the visitors, but Lawrence was equal to it.

Halfway through the second half, Esh Winning were awarded a dangerous free-kick. Joe Bates fired it into the wall, and Matthew Callender’s rebound was far too high.

In the 75th minute, Washington were reduced to 10 men. Hanson was earlier booked for kicking the ball away, and his second yellow was just as silly. It was a cynical foul when there wasn’t really any need for it while Esh were still in their own half, but it was definitely worthy of a second yellow and the hosts were down to 10.

A crucial block denied Esh Winning’s Bates in the 78th minute, before Esh Winning scored their winning goal in the 83rd minute. A throw from the left was quickly worked to Liam Colledge on the right. His ball across the face of goal found Jones, and it was a simple finish for Jones.

Little happened in the remainder of the 90 minutes plus the five additional minutes, and the final whistle brought a conclusion to a forgettable game.

For Esh Winning, it was job done. They won’t care about how pretty it was.

Full-time: Washington 0-1 Esh Winning

Next up for me is probably Sunderland West End vs Boldon CA on Friday.

Washington: Lawrence (c), Parker, Ward, Blackbourne (Johnson, 55′), Burton, Duell, Brugge, Rounsfell, Hanson, Kirk (Tutt, 60′), Leonard (Smith, 78′)

Unused subs: Mohamed, Bellerby

Esh Winning: Wells, Wilkinson, Taylor, Colledge, Heap, Swift (c), Callender (Pringle, 87′), Smith, Bates, Mortimer (Cummings, 59′), Jones

Unused subs: Hannant, Hayes, Lambert

Admission: £5 adults, £3 concessions

Programme: I didn’t get one

Attendance: 64

Referee: Kevin McKitterick