Beverley Town vs Shirebrook Town

With little options for games today, this was a good one to do. It was a much more relaxing step 6 play-off final than Wednesday night for me! Given Beverley were only promoted to step 6 in 2022, the ground is quite basic one. It’s adjacent to a cricket pitch in a sports complex, meaning football spectators are only allowed down two-thirds of both lengths of the pitch, and behind one of the goals isn’t available to spectators. There’s one small seated stand as well as a couple of further bits of cover. With such a big crowd and only being allowed on around two-thirds of the ground, getting a viewing point was very difficult, especially given there is basically no elevation at any part of the ground. I watched the first half from a small pile of waste on the far side, and I doubt anyone has ever watched a game from there before today.

Although it’s a basic ground, Beverley are a friendly club, and they did everything they could to make today’s occasion as good as possible. The queue for food from the burger van was permanently massive so I didn’t get anything, and I presume the programmes were sold out.

The game was an entertaining one. Beverley had a few early chances, but in the opening 20 minutes, it was Shirebrook looking slightly the livelier with numerous good chances.

Beverley took the lead in the 26th minute through Ben Hinchliffe, and there was controversy late in the half as Shirebrook were awarded a penalty around four minutes after the incident. The Beverley goalkeeper clattered a Shirebrook forward, and from where I was, I thought penalty. The referee waved played on, before stopping play a minute later so the striker could get treatment. He was treated for a couple of minutes, and once the striker was up, the referee decided to speak to him assistant. Shortly after, the referee decided to award a penalty. Kieran Watson took the penalty but put it wide. Beverley led at the break.

Shirebrook equalised on the hour mark when a Brad McGowan header looked as though it should have been saved but wasn’t.

Both sides had chances to win it in the final half an hour, but this play-off final was to be decided on penalties. Beverley scored both of their first two, while Shirebrook missed their first and scored their second. Both sides scored their third, before Shirebrook’s fourth was saved. Beverley’s fourth was for the win, and it was converted meaning Beverley are promoted and Northern Counties East League Division One Play-Off champions.

It was a second night in a row of a game finishing 1-1 and the home side winning 4-2 on penalties for me.

Full-time: Beverley Town 1-1 Shirebrook Town (Beverley win 4-2 on penalties)

Next up for me is maybe a game in the Northern Alliance midweek.

Beverley Town: Dash, Knaggs (Phillips, 70′), Sellers, Larkin (Taylor, 87′), Plumber, Piercy (c), Tait, Hott, Hinchliffe (Harman, 83′), Norfolk, McFadyen (Suluburic, 57′)

Unused sub: Heward

Shirebrook Town: Squires, Mlynarski, Murr, Patterson (Allan, 84′), Grayson, McGowan, Carty (Partridge, 73′), Waldram, Watson, Matthews (Kimberley, 77′), Clayton

Unused sub: Munn

Admission: £5 adults, £3 concessions

Programme: Sold out I think

Attendance: 1,525 (apparently the ground capacity is only 1,000!)

Referee: Ronan Coller-Booth

UFCA vs Linthwaite Athletic

I’ve been interested in visiting the ground at West Riding FA since I knew it existed, but there aren’t a massive number of games played at it. When they announced the dates for their cup finals, I decided to do one of their three cup finals there this week. I decided on this one over the cup final on Wednesday simply because it is apparently for clubs at a higher level, but that worked well with not being able to do Wednesday’s game as I was at Easington’s play off final. It was nice to be a game I didn’t really care about for this one. Wednesday night was the most nervous I’ve ever been at football, and it turned out to be the best night I’ve had from football too. Easington are a first division club now!

The venue at West Riding FA is a tidy one. It has one stand with seats the full length of the pitch, and I imagine it probably comfortably sits 500. The rest of the ground is hard standing and a grass bank on the dugout side.

An average cheeseburger and chips were sampled, but it was a slightly different service as you got your food from a school canteen-esque place before moving down the line to pay.

I thought this game could be a comfortable win for UFCA. They’re in the 11th tier of English football while Linthwaite are in the 14th. It’s not very often you see a cup final with their tiers between the two sides. My assumption of expecting a UFCA win was simply because they’re three divisions higher than their Huddersfield League opposition.

It was a very lively start to the game with plenty of chances at both ends, but Linthwaite were the better team wary and thy took the lead in the opening five minutes.

UFCA equalised after a decent spell in the 28th minute, and despite the first half an hour giving the impression that both sides could score bag fulls, this cup final was decided on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

UFCA were given the early advantage in the shootout when they scored their first and Linthwaite’s first was saved. UFCA’s second hit the bar, and Linthwaite equalised to make it 1-1 after two each.

UFCA scored their third and fourth, while Linthwaite’s this was saved before their fourth was scored. Three-two after four each. UFCA’s fifth was to win it, and they did just that.

Full-time: UFCA 1-1 Linthwaite Athletic (UFCA win 4-2 on penalties)

Next up for me is Beverley Town vs Shirebrook Town.

Admission: £5 adults, £2 concessions

Programme: Online

Attendance: 300ish

Referee: Declan O’Regan

Newcastle Blue Star vs Easington Colliery

Colliers promoted to Northern League Division One

Easington Colliery were promoted to Northern League Division One with a 2-1 win away to Newcastle Blue Star in the Division Two play-off final on Wednesday night.

Brad Forster and James Fairley were both on the scoresheet late in the second half on a historic night for the Colliers.

Upon kick-off in front of an impressive crowd of 1,771, it was a tentative start from both sides.

Callum Stanton had a deflected shot saved in the Colliers’ first half chance in the 12th minute, while a Blue Star free-kick was curled wide.

Blue Star were edging the early possession, but there wasn’t much in it.

The Colliers’ first big chance arrived in the 35th minute. Mark Davison flicked a ball on to find Fairley who went for goal with a first time volley, but it darted just wide.

It was a good end to the first half for Easington with a couple of chances for Davison as well as an opportunity for Callum Stanton, but they couldn’t trouble the Blue Star goalkeeper.

Ant Lowerson was forced into a good save deep into added time, and it was a stalemate at the break.

In the 58th minute, there was a good chance for Stanton as he latched onto a ball through the middle, but Phillip Mills in the Blue Star goal saved well.

Five minutes later, Fairley was denied by Mills, and then a crucial block denied Stanton.

Following a delay due to an incident in the crowd, in the 86th minute, Forster headed the Colliers into the lead. Fairley curled a deep free-kick into the penalty area, and Forster rose highest to direct a looping header into the net.

Just a minute later, the Colliers doubled their lead. Fairley found room to shoot 20 yards out, and he curled a lovely effort into the top corner.

Two goals up, the Colliers were now firmly in control, and they were managing the game well.

A slip at the back allowed Blue Star to pull one back deep into added time when Nelson Ogbewe converted from a tight angle, but there was no way back into the game for Blue Star.

Easington Colliery AFC are now a Northern League Division One club!

Full-time: Newcastle Blue Star 1-2 Easington Colliery

Next up for me is UFCA vs Linthwaite Athletic tomorrow night.

Newcastle Blue Star: Mills, Barclay, Forster, Oliver, Bexton, Ryder, Paterson (Dudgeon, 68′), Luke (c) (McIntrye, 68′), Lanning, Potter, Turner (Ogbewe, 75′)

Unused subs: Mitchell, Daley

Easington Colliery: Lowerson, Barnett, Eltringham, Trewick, Forster (c), Bott, Stanton (Tapping, 78′), Kenney, Davison (Taylor, 90+9′), Fairley (Elliott, 90+12′), Weirs

Unused subs: Pearn, Fryatt

Admission: £6 adults, £4 concessions

Programme: £2

Attendance: 1,771

Referee: Mark McMahon

Easington Colliery vs Bedlington Terriers

Colliers beat Bedlington to progress to playoff final

Easington Colliery claimed an impressive 4-0 win at home to Bedlington Terriers to progress to the Northern League Division Two play-off final on Saturday afternoon.

Mark Davison, Brad Forster, Matty Weirs and James Fairley were all on the scoresheet for the Colliers in an impressive performance.

Upon kick-off, Callum Guy had an early shot for the Colliers saved, before Bedlington’s first half chance saw Ben Franklin fire well over.

Around the 10 minute mark, the Colliers had a good spell with plenty of possession – some of it dangerous – and a couple of corners.

The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute. Callum Stanton was released down the right and he drilled a low ball into the penalty area where Davison was on hand to blast the ball high into the net.

Forster then headed wide for the Colliers, before the same man doubled the Green Army’s lead in the 28th minute. A cross was flicked on to find the Easington captain, and he was left with a simple header to make it two-nil.

A third arrived in the 33rd minute. Great work from Stanton put pressure on the Bedlington defence, and he blocked an attempted clearance from the goalkeeper. Callum picked up possession and passed across to Weirs who was left with a simple finish.

Playoffs are usually trappy tight games without many clear cut chances, but the Colliers had flown into a three goal lead with 10 minutes of the first half to play.

There was good chance from Guy late in the half, but Finlay Hodgson in the Bedlington goal saved well.

A three goal lead was taken into the break, and the good Easington crowd were very pleased with the first half.

Early in the second half, Fairley looked to lob the goalkeeper on a couple of occasions, but the Bedlington stopper was able to backtrack to save both times.

In the 63rd minute, Forster headed narrowly wide from a lovely Dane Eltringham cross, and then Ant Lowerson was forced into a good save to preserve the Colliers’ cleansheet.

Ten minutes later, Stanton burst forward and put a low ball across the face of goal, but it was just too far in front of numerous Easington players.

With 10 minutes to play, the Colliers scored their fourth and final goal. Fairley took responsibility of a corner, and he curled it directly into the near post.

In added time, Easington had good chances to extend the lead through Luke Pearn and Ryan Taylor, and in truth, it should have been five, especially with Pearny’s effort.

It wouldn’t matter though as the final whistle soon followed and the Colliers claimed a very good win.

The Colliers will now travel to Newcastle Blue Star on Wednesday night in the play-off final. A spot in Northern League Division One awaits the winners.

Full-time: Easington Colliery 4-0 Bedlington Terriers

Next up for me is probably a game on Monday.

Easington Colliery: Lowerson, Kenney, Eltringham, Trewick, Bott, Forster (c), Stanton (Fryatt, 82′), Fairley, Davison (Taylor, 77′), Guy (Elliott, 71′), Weirs (Pearn, 82′)

Unused sub: Barnett

Bedlington Terriers: Hodgson, Fazakerley, Watson, Anderson, Ames, George Hayton (Luaba, 62′), Thompson (Lawrence, 86′), Franklin, Matty Hayton, Roys, Dinsley (c) (McRoberts, 46′)

Unused sub: Wilson

Admission: £6 adults, £4 concessions, £2 under 16s

Programme: £2

Attendance: 310

Referee: Tom Lishman

Newcastle Blue Star vs Horden Community Welfare

Marras beaten in play-off semi-final at Blue Star

Horden Community Welfare’s season came to an end with a 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle Blue Star in the semi-finals of the Northern League Division Two play-offs on Friday night.

Blue Star led through an own goal in the fifth minute, only for Horden to equalise through Chris Wallace in the 52nd minute.

Wallace was then sent off, and Blue Star scored their winner through Shaun Ryder in the 83rd minute.

Within the opening three minutes, Jack Pounder took responsibility of a dangerous Horden free kick only for it to be blocked, before Blue Star took the lead after just four and a half minutes. Regan Paterson beat the offside trap to race down the right, and his cross was diverted into his own net by Horden’s Dan Flounders.

In the 20th minute, Blue Star could have doubled their lead. Dan Turner was released through on goal, but Andrew Fletcher saved well. The rebound dropped to Dan Lanning, but Fletcher was on hand to deny to prevent him too.

Chances weren’t all too frequent, and Horden were mostly looking at their most dangerous through set pieces. A 36th minute dead ball picked out the towering Ben Riding, but he was unable to trouble Phil Mills in the Blue Star goal.

Looking for his second of the evening, Paterson found room to shoot for Blue Star in the 40th minute, but his low shot bounced just wide.

Another Blue Star shot went wide a minute later, before Horden were almost level a minute and a half before the break. The ball dropped kindly to Nat Skidmore on the edge of the penalty area, and his first time bottom corner bound shot was well saved by Mills.

Taylor Campbell put a long range effort narrowly over for Horden just before the break, and the Marras were enjoying a good little spell.

In the 52nd minute, the Marras pulled level. Taylor Campbell’s shot was somewhat scuffed, and it dropped to Wallace who lifted the ball over the keeper and into the net.

A minute later, an outstanding save denied Horden. Pounder’s turn led to a shot which took a wicked deflection and looked a goal, but Mills adjusted and produced an excellent save to claw it away.

Mills produced another very good save to deny an effort from point blank range to prevent the shot from the resulting corner.

The second half was littered with stoppages, and the next chance didn’t arrive until the 76th minute when Taylor Campbell curled a dangerous free kick just over for Horden.

In the 77th minute, Horden were reduced to ten men as Wallace was sent off for a strong challenge in the centre of the pitch.

Fletcher in the Horden goal was forced into a save to deny a deflected 83rd minute shot, and a minute later, Blue Star regained their lead as Ryder’s shot from the edge of the penalty area found the bottom corner.

Horden pushed for an equaliser, but there was no way through and Blue Star booked their spot in the play-off final.

Full-time: Newcastle Blue Star 2-1 Horden Community Welfare

Next up for me is Easington Colliery vs Bedlington Terriers tomorrow.

Newcastle Blue Star: Mills, Barclay, Forster, Oliver, Bexton, Ryder, Paterson (Mitchell, 79′), Luke (c), Lanning, Potter (McIntyre, 90+3′), Turner

Unused subs: Bright, Daley, Hartley

Horden Community Welfare: Fletcher, Osborne, Kieran Campbell, Flounders, Kidson, Riding, Taylor Campbell, Wallace, Pounder (c), Doughty (Gordon, 87′), Skidmore (Bird, 65′)

Unused subs: James, Fowler, Bradshaw

Admission: £6 adults, £4 concessions, £2 under 16s

Programme: Didn’t get one

Attendance: 1,061

Referee: Harvey Websdale

Shildon vs West Auckland Town

Full-time: Shildon 0-1 West Auckland Town

Next up for me is the Durham County Sunday Cup final tomorrow before Newcastle Blue Star vs Horden Community Welfare on Friday.

Shildon: Mazfari, Harris, Banks, Green, Vaulks, Spalding (Reay, 66′), Weirs, Ardelean (Hird, 90′), Greulich-Smith, Posthill (c)

Unused subs: Price, Kitching, Foden

West Auckland Town: Liversedge, Mitchell (Cocks, 90+3′), Hope, Wood, Brown, Potter (c), Harrison (Nicholson, 64′), Bailey, Scott, Fletcher, Hume (Hegarty, 60′)

Unused subs: Greenwood, Holdsworth

Admission: £8 adults, £5 concessions, £2 under 16s

Programme: Online

Attendance: 604

Referee: Thomas James

Shildon Railway vs Newton Aycliffe YFC Seniors

I was going to do New Durham vs Billingham Town Reserves tonight, but it was no longer of interest once it wa moved to the Ford Hub. This was the other venue in the Wearside League tonight I had never visited before, and so I decided on a trip to Shildon.

It’s just a pitch, but it’s in a pleasant setting. I travelled to this game not knowing Newton Aycliffe only needed a point to win the league.

It turns out that the game kicked off at 6:30 instead of 6:45, meaning I missed the opening action. I asked a Newton Aycliffe coach if there was any score when I arrived and he said: “we’re getting beat 2-1. We were just awful in the first 10 minutes. Fair play to Shildon though”, and that’s all I can tell you about the opening three goals.

Newton Aycliffe equalised with around 25 minutes played when the Shildon goalkeeper totally missed a cross and it bounced into the net.

Thirteen minutes later, Aycliffe led through a direct free kick.

The second half looked goalless until Shildon equalised 20 seconds into additional time. An initial shot was saved, but the rebound was converted.

The point meant Newton Aycliffe won the league, but there were absolutely no celebrations at full time.

Full-time: Shildon Railway 3-3 Newton Aycliffe YFC Seniors

Next up for me is the Durham County Sunday Cup final on Thursday followed by Newcastle Blue Star vs Horden Community Welfare on Friday.

Admission: Free

Attendance: 62

Programme: No

Referee: Steve Monkhouse

Barton Town vs Knaresborough Town

Barton has been looked at a few times in the last month or so, but when I couldn’t get to Penistone Church to complete the division, I didn’t know whether to save it for next season when I’ll do Penistone Church. When I was looking for fixtures today, I quite fancied a new Football League ground if possible. League One were kicking off at 12:30, and I would have done a double if there as a League One game followed by something close. I looked at Wigan, but there was nothing I could immediately find very close to go after.

In the end, I decided this meaningless game at Barton would be my destination, only a few days after being down this part of the world for North Ferriby. It took a while to get down here, especially considering I decided to go the York, Pocklington, Market Weighton route instead of the M62, but I was still at the ground in plenty of time.

I quite like the ground. It’s tidy and has all the facilities you could want. It’s a brick wall surround the pitch and it’s perfect to lean on/hold a drink.

It’s £6 in, but on the gate, I was told about an offer of admission and £7 worth of food and drink vouchers for £10. It was a no brainer to get that. A cheeseburger and chips with a can of Pepsi Max Cherry was the way to spend the vouchers, with me having to put 90p towards it. The food was good too. The burger was seasoned like it as from a local butcher making it better than your average football burger, and the chips were good too.

I found a few interesting bits to the ground. Behind the goal is an ‘away stand situated next to a ‘home stand’, and every seat in the main stand is labelled either home seat, away seat or family seat, but it definitely wasn’t enforced. There’s a nice scoreboard with a clock in one corner too.

Wren Kitchens mut be a bit supporter of the club. The ground features a Wrens Kitchens Stand, the Wrens Kitchens snack bar and a continuous Wrens Kitchens banner at the top of the perimeter fence of the ground.

As for the game, three offsides in the opening four minutes is what I noted from the very early stages.

It was an entertaining enough start with chances at both ends, but the better of the chances were going Knaresborough’s way.

The opening goal didn’t arrive until the 66th minute when Knaresborough’s Danny Edwards chipped a lovely finish from 18 yards over the ‘keeper and into the net.

Knaresborough’s lead was doubled in the 77th minute. Dom Creamer’s low cross found Aaron White at the back post who converted on the stretch.

With five minutes to play, Knaresborough added a third. A drilled ball from the left was bundled towards goal and Alex Ingham was on hand to smash the ball into the net from two yards.

Full-time: Barton Town 0-3 Knaresborough Town

Next up for me is New Durham vs Billingham Town Reserves on Monday night.

Barton Town: Mitchell, Smaller, Waudby, Heeley (Needham, 81′), Nelson, Clayton, Chapman, King (Winn, 89′), Moody, Brown (Salter, 74′) Coley

Unused sub: North

Knaresbrough Town: Brown, Marsh, Lee, Wildin, Anderson, Parkes (Lee, 69′), Gregson (Heath, 88′), Emmett (Creamer, 74′), Edwards (Ingham, 81′), Walker, White

Unused sub: Parkes

Admission: £6 adults, £4 concessions normally, but I got an offer of £10 for admission and 2x£3.50 food/drink vouchers – bargain!

Attendance: 124

Programme: Online

Cheeseburger, chips and can of Pepsi Max Cherry: £7.90 (£7 food and drink vouchers used)

Referee: Matthew Rose

Washington vs Easington Colliery

Colliers conclude regular season with Washington victory

Easington Colliery brought their regular season to a close with a 4-0 win away to Washington on Friday night.

Mark Davison, Josh Barnett, Callum Stanton and James Fairley were all on the scoresheet for the Colliers in a win which secures third spot in Northern League Division Two and a home tie in the playoffs.

The likes of Ant Lowerson, Matty Weirs, Luke Pearn and Ryan Taylor were allowed to play a Sunday cup final instead of this game at Ford Quarry. Dane Eltringham started in what is fast becoming a regular position in goal, before Lowerson made it in time to be subbed on just after the half hour mark.

The Colliers started well, and early chances went the way of Brad Forster and Callum Guy, before further opportunities fell to Fairley and Davison.

The Colliers were comfortably on top, and the deadlock was broken in the 26th minute. Stanton’s cross was floated into the penalty area to find Davison, and he headed home to give the Green Army the lead.

Davison had the ball in the net again before the break, but it was ruled out for offside.

Denny Tapping was introduced early in the second half, and he quickly had a couple of efforts well saved.

Kyle Fryatt also went close, with a curling effort just missing the far top corner.

On the hour mark, the lead was doubled. Stanton’s cross picked out Barnett, and Josh headed home.

Further chances followed including for Fryatt and Taylor Ford, and the third arrived in the 80th minute. Stanton took aim with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, and his well struck powerful effort found the bottom corner.

Tapping went close on a couple of further occasions, before the fourth arrived in the 90th minute. Ford was brought down by Washington goalkeeper David Mighten, and Fairley slotted the penalty home.

The result means the Colliers will finish third in Northern League Division Two and will host Bedlington Terriers in the playoff semi finals next Saturday.

Full-time: Washington 0-4 Easington Colliery

Next up for me is Barton Town vs Knaresborough Town.

Washington: Mighten, Johnson, Beresford, Irwin, Burton (c) (Mohamed, 65′), Oswald, Dawson (Silva, 64′), Rhodes, Porthouse, Nkunku, Kidd

Unused subs: Gibbon, Parker, Jones

Easington Colliery: Eltringham (Lowerson, 32′), Barnett, Nelson, Trewick (Elliott, 54′), Forster (c) (Kenney, 56′), Bott (Ford, 69′), Stanton, Fairley, Davison (Tapping, 54′), Guy, Fryatt

No unused subs

Admission: £5 adults, £3 concessions

Programme: Don’t know

Attendance: 80

Referee: Geoff Mann

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Hetton Juniors vs Durham City

South Hetton Cricket Club is a venue I hadn’t visited before this game. It’s slightly surprising given it’s only 3-4 miles away. Plenty of Sunday League football has been played there, but I’ve never known a Saturday team play there. I ticked Hetton School watching Hetton Juniors last season, but they’ve since moved to South Hetton, and their results have improved on the pitch too. They’ve won the first division of the Wearside League this season. This venue is simply a pitch, but from what I’ve heard, Hetton Juniors have offered to improve the facilities so they can go into the Premier Division, but the council have knocked them back. They may not be able to be promoted without improvements or if they move homes.

To the game, and Durham took the lead after 25 minutes when a cross from the right was headed home, and Hetton equalised in the 34th minute.

Durham regained their lead on the hour mark. A scooped ball should have been dealt with but wasn’t, and Durham’s was able to bundle the ball into the net.

Full-time: Hetton Juniors 1-2 Durham City

Next up for me is possibly a game tomorrow.

Admission: Free

Attendance: Andrew Clark said 32

Programme: No

Referee: Stephen Clifford