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.
I originally had Parkgate vs Retford United in my plan for tonight, and it was still under consideration. That was until last night when I looked through the fixtures and found this game. It was a what presumed would be a good ground, it was a county cup final and it was cheap to get in. £5 admission for a senior county cup final between two Northern Premier League sides including a programme is a bargain! My visit to Bridlington earlier in the season was for their quarter finals tie in this competition against Hessle, and I wasn’t expecting to watch them in the final a couple of months later.
The only association I’ve had with North Ferriby was when I watched North Ferriby United at Gateshead around eight years ago. I had never watched the new club until tonight.
The ground is a good one, with a full length seated stand on one side with covered standing at both ends of it. Opposite is all of the other facilities with a good clubhouse etc.
It was around a one hour and 50 minute drive down to Noth Ferriby straight from work, and it’s a posher place than I was expecting. Most of the houses are massive!
Food at football grounds can be boring, but this was anything but boring. I opted for the special chilli, bacon cheeseburger and the special dirty fries. They were £5 each but very good. The chips were quite spicy with a spicy sauce and jalapenos on, but I absolutely would recommend the food at North Ferriby.
For a small village, North Ferriby’s football team are very well supported. They average over 500 anyway, and tonight was helped by it being a cup final.
To the game, and it was an entertaining first half with chances at both ends, but Bridlington took a narrow lead into the break thanks to Lewis Dennison’s well taken chip halfway through the first half.
Shortly after the hour mark, Josh Whiteley’s penalty pulled North Ferriby level, but Dennison’s free-kick in the fifth minute of additional time ensured Bridlington lifted the East Riding Senior County Cup.
Full-time: North Ferriby 1-2 Bridlington Town
Next up for me is Hetton Juniors vs Durham City tonight.
Colliers conclude home campaign with Jarrow victory
Easington Colliery picked up another three points in their final home game of the regular season with a 3-0 win at home to Jarrow on Monday night.
Callum Guy, Ryan Taylor and James Fairley were all on the scoresheet for the Colliers.
Kyle Fryatt made his first start for the Colliers, while there were also spots in the starting XI for the returning Denny Tapping and Dylan Elliott.
Having already secured a top four spot, it was a somewhat relaxed atmosphere at the Welfare Park, helped by Jarrow having nothing to play for.
With the game’s first real chance, the Colliers took the lead. Ethan Ord played a quick one two with Fryatt on the left, before Ethan burst down the wing. Having reached the byline, Ord clipped a cross into the penalty area, and it dopped to Guy whose lovely first time volley found the bottom corner.
The first half was quiet.
Jarrow had a couple of shots fail to find the target, while Guy and Mark Davison both went close for the Colliers. Guy’s long range effort dipped just over, while Davison’s header was saved by former Easington goalkeeper Jak Wells.
The Colliers took a narrow lead into the break.
Two minutes into the second half, the Colliers almost had a second. Ant Lowerson’s long ball was flicked on by Davison to find Fairley, and he played the ball into Tapping. Denny found himself through on goal, but his shot failed to find the target.
Jarrow’s first real chance arrived in the 54th minute as Ryan Hardie found himself with possession in a very good spot, but Lowerson produced a big save to preserve the Colliers’ cleansheet.
Lowerson was forced into another good save with just over 15 minutes to play, while at the other end, Wells produced a save to deny Taylor.
Davison’s header was then well saved, before the lead was eventually doubled in the 86th minute. Fairley curled a corner into the penalty area and Taylor rose highest to power a header into the net.
Three minutes later, the third arrived. Matty Weirs’ initial effort was well saved by Wells, but Fairley was there to smash the rebound into the net.
The win means the Colliers have picked up a very impressive 13 points from five games in the last nine days.
Full-time: Easington Colliery 3-0 Jarrow
Next up for me is maybe Parkgate vs Retford United tomorrow.
Colliers secure playoff spot with victory at Ryton
Easington Colliery ensured themselves of a spot in the playoffs and a top four finish with a 2-1 win away to Ryton & Crawcrook Albion on Saturday afternoon.
The game was goalless until the 80th minute when Mark Davison put the Colliers ahead, only for Ryton to equalise five minutes alter through Rhys Mcleod.
In the 88th minute, the Colliers regained the lead and took the three points thanks to Luke Pearn’s strike.
The win ensures the Colliers of a top four finish and a spot in the playoffs with two games left.
Goalkeeper Ant Lowerson returned to starting XI, as did Ethan Ord at full-back.
Upon kick-off, it was a lively start, with three shots within the opening minute. After just 18 seconds, Lowerson was forced into a comfortable save, and still within the opening 60 seconds, Mark Davison had two shots for the Colliers. The first was wide, and the second was saved.
In the 11th minute, Davison’s header at the back post forced a save from Brogan Colquhoun, and then Callum Stanton shot wide.
Davison and Thomas Bott both headed over as the Colliers continued to search for a breakthrough.
The Colliers were comfortably on top in the first half, with the majority of possession and all the chances.
Davison and James Fairley both went close towards the end of the first half, but there was to be no breakthrough and it was a stalemate at the break.
Easington had controlled the first half, but the second half was more open, and Ryton created chances.
In the 55th minute, Callum Guy’s low shot was saved after Matty Weirs’ pullback, and then Lowerson was called into action to prevent the dangerous as Aaron Costello looked to round him.
Halfway through the second half, Costello shot wide for the visitors, before Davison had a shot crucially blocked for the Colliers.
With 15 minutes to play, Dane Eltringham – back to his usual position having played in goal for 45 minutes at Thornaby on Wednesday night – burst forward but could only skew an effort wide.
In the 80th minute, the Colliers broke the deadlock. Eltringham whipped a cross into the near post from the left side, and Davison was at the near post to bundle the ball home.
However, the lead was short lived as Ryton equalised in the 85th minute. A cross to the back post found the unmarked Mcleod, and he headed home.
After no goals in 80 minutes, a third in eight minutes put the Colliers back ahead in the 88th minute. Pearn’s initial shot was well blocked, but it came straight back to Pearny whose good finish found the far bottom corner.
In injury time, Lowerson was forced into a good save, and the Colliers had to then defend a couple of corners before the final whistle.
With 77 points, the Colliers now cannot be caught by any side currently outside of the top four!
Marras stay in playoff race with victory against Boldon
Horden Community Welfare kept themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot with a 3-1 win away to Boldon CA on Friday night.
Graeme McCall put Boldon ahead in the 18th minute, but second half goals from Ben Riding, Liam Wright and David Doughty ensured Horden of the win.
Upon kick-off, Boldon’s Charlie Raby had an early half sight of goal when looking to latch onto a long ball, but Horden goalkeeper Andrew Fletcher was there first.
Chances for Horden followed, with David Doughty and Barney Dobinson going close.
In the 18th minute, Boldon took the lead. After a sustained attack, they worked the ball into McCall who beat a defender, turned and finished well.
Horden had the majority of the ball in the first half, but chances were at a premium, and Boldon led at the break.
Five minutes into the second half, Horden equalised. Taylor Campbell’s low cross from the left was swung at and missed by Doughty, and the ball came through to Riding whose first time finish found the top corner.
Having pulled level, the Marras were now looking bright, and Taylor Campbell went close when his 20 yard shot deflected just wide.
Dan Flounders then had a shot crucially blocked from a corner, before Horden took the lead 14 minutes into the second half. A corner was worked to Wright on the edge of the area, and although he didn’t connect perfectly, it was enough to find a way into the net to put Horden ahead.
With 20 to play, Horden went close to a third when Wright forced a good save from James Lone, and Lone was forced into another save seconds later to push Campbell’s shot behind for a corner.
In the 76th minute, Horden scored their third. Possession was gifted to Doughty who still had plenty to do from the edge of the area, but his fine finish from the left corner of the penalty area found the far bottom corner.
Aaron Williams put a dangerous free kick wide as Boldon looked for a route back into the game, but there was to be no further chances for the hosts.
It was a very good second half performance from Horden.
Full-time: Boldon CA 1-3 Horden Community Welfare
Next up for me is Ryton & Crawcrook Albion vs Easington Colliery tomorrow (Saturday).
Easington Colliery claimed an impressive three points with a 1-0 win away to Thornaby on Wednesday night.
Brad Forster’s 32nd minute header proved the difference between the sides on a night where the Colliers were forced to play the whole of the second half with no recognised goalkeeper on the pitch following an injury to James Hopkinson.
Dane Eltringham – who had earlier provided the assist for the goal – played in goal for the Green Army in the second half.
Club captain Dylan Elliott returned to the side for his first start since his injury to replace Matty Weirs in one change from Monday’s game against Newcastle University.
On a pleasant enough evening at Teesdale Park, it wasn’t a game with a whole load of chances, but the Colliers did what they needed to do and defended their goal outstandingly in the second half to preserve the clean sheet.
Upon kick-off, it was a quiet start. Other than a corner at each end, little happened in the opening 10 minutes.
The game was in its 16th minute by the time of its first chance, but it was a big chance, and it went Thornaby’s way. Dom Joynes’ low cross from the left found a way through to Ryan Wright at the back post, but he blazed over from four yards out.
The Colliers’ first opportunity arrived with 25 minutes played. Seconds after Callum Stanton had fizzed a dangerous ball across the face of goal to no avail, Josh Barnett took aim with a shot from the right corner of the penalty area, but a crucial blocked kept the Colliers at bay.
Thornaby had more of the ball in the first half, and they were seeing spells of possession in the Easington half, but they never looked like troubling Hopkinson.
In the 32nd minute, the Colliers scored the game’s only goal. Eltringham whipped a corner into the penalty area and it was recycled back to him. A lovely deep ball was swung back into the area by Dane, and Forster was there to head home.
With exactly 45 minutes on the clock, Easington goalkeeper Hopinkson went down injured. He battled on to see the first half out, but there was no way he could play the secod half. Eltringham volunteered to go in goal for the second half, and everyone expected a tough 45 minutes.
Jak Ashton came on to replace Hopkinson and take Eltringham’s place at full back.
It was a case of managing the game and limiting Thornaby for much of the second half, and the Colliers did that extremely well.
Despite most of the half being about the defence, there was almost a second for Easington with an hour played. Jamed Fairley lifted a wide free-kick into the penalty area and Weirs’ glancing header looked to have doubled the Green Army’s lead, but it was cleared off the line.
Stanton created an opportunity for himself in the 71st minute after a good turn and shot, but it was saved by Ronan Makepeace.
Eltringham in the Easington goal was only forced into one save in the second half, but he pulled it off well.
It was a battle to the end, and the final whistle was greeted by a sigh of relief from the Colliers.
One more win from the remaining three league games will absolutely guarantee the Colliers a spot in the playoffs.
Full-time: Thornaby 0-1 Easington Colliery
Next up for me is Boldon CA vs Horden CW tomorrow.
FC Hartlepool picked up an impressive three points with a 3-0 win away to Yarm & Eaglescliffe on Tuesday night.
Lewis Murphy, Dean Cope and Kyle Morris were all on the scoresheet on a good night for FC, and it lifts them to 13th in Northern League Division Two.
Following a few early dangerous attacks, FC took the lead after 10 minutes. Fin Smith’s ball through the middle released Murphy, and he burst down on goal before finishing well.
Tom Atkinson could have pulled Yarm level with 19 minutes on the clock. A ball down the right fortuitously found a way through to Atkinson, but his drilled low shot failed to find the target.
Twenty-five minutes in, there was a chance for Smith to double FC’s lead when a ball to the back post picked him out, but Yarm goalkeeper Will Lawrence was on hand to keep Smith at bay.
On the half hour mark, FC should have doubled their lead. Ben Henderson’s low cross from the right was met by Murphy who flicked an effort towards the far corner, but it tricked just wide.
Good strength by Yarm centre forward Atkinson created a chance for himself with five minutes of the first half to play after outmuscling a defender, but his shot was more focused on power rather than placement meaning Lewis McDonald was able to save.
A minute before the 45 were up, FC Hartlepool doubled their lead. A deep corner picked out Cope whose looping header back across goal dropped into the bottom corner.
The second half was 12 and half minutes old by the time of its first half chance. Connor Gales’ long range strike took a slight deflection but was still comfortable for the Yarm goalkeeper.
Aidan Chainey then shot wide from range for FC, before Atkinson fired wide after a free kick was flicked on at the other end.
With eight minutes to play, FC looked to have wrapped up the win with a third. A through ball released Morris who has just come on as a substitute, and his tidy high finish made it nil-three.
However, just two minutes later, Yarm were awarded a penalty when FC goalkeeper McDonald brought Josh Marshall down in the area, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Josh Larkin took responsibility and went high down the middle, but it was too high and sailed over the crossbar.
Cameron Wilson headed wide as Yarm and Eaglescliffe continued to plug away, but there was to be no way through a resilient Hartlepool defence.
Full-time: Yarm & Eaglescliffe 0-3 FC Hartlepool
Next up for me is Thornaby vs Easington Colliery tomorrow.
Yarm & Eaglescliffe: Will Lawrence, Cheeseborough (Marshall, 62′), Conway, Jack Dalton, Wild (c), Dougall (Jackson, 79′), Jones (Hillerby, 62′), Joe Dalton (Rahman, 77′), Atkinson, Larkin, Sam Lawrence
Unused sub: Eason
FC Hartlepool: McDonald, Gales (Cowan, 75′), Burrows, Gavin (Cook, 75′), Luke Naylor, Cope (c), Henderson, Chainey, Murphy (Morris, 82′), Angus, Smith (Theo Naylor, 83′)
Easington Colliery were pinned back to a point as Newcastle University equalised in the 95th minute to claim a 2-2 draw at the Welfare Park on Monday night.
Easington twice led through James Fairley’s brace, but the students twice equalised through James Matthews’ brace, including his header in the fifth minute of additional time.
Having met just 48 hours earlier in Prudhoe, Easington manager Olly Hotchkiss made one change with Brad Forster replacing Thomas Bott, while Newcastle University made four changes with Jay Harris, Joel Burgess, Joel Manning and Matthews’ all coming into the starting eleven.
Upon kick-off, the first chance arrived in the ninth minute. Callum Guy passed to Fairley on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot was saved by Max Richardson.
Four minutes later, the Colliers created a very good chance. A ball through the middle released Reece Kenney through on goal, but Richardson made himself big and saved well.
Matty Weirs then had a shot crucially blocked, before the Easington wall did its job to block a very close Newcastle University indirect free-kick.
Fairley and Forster both had half chances as the Colliers looked to take control, before the deadlock was broken in the 36th minute. A ball through the middle was flicked on by Luke Pearn to release Fairley, and he changed down on goal before finishing well.
However, just three minutes later, Newcastle University equalised as Matthews burst through on the left side before a low drilled finish found the bottom corner.
It was level at the break.
After a couple of Newcastle University corners and a half chance in the opening minutes of the second half, Easington created a chance as Kenney went close in the 48th minute. Reece took aim from the edge of the penalty area, but Richardson’s fine save denied the Easington midfielder.
Callum Guy then fired over for the Green Army, before James Hopkinson in the Easington goal was forced into a good save. Newcastle University’s Chris Pearson blazed the rebound over.
The Colliers almost took the lead through what would have been an own goal in the 62nd minute, while at the other end, Hopkinson was forced into a save to push a 68th minute free-kick behind for a corner.
Just inside the final 20 minutes, Newcastle University were looking the more likely, and Hopkinson was forced into a couple of further smart saves.
In the 79th minute, Easington regained their lead through Fairley’s magic finish. James worked himself some room on the left side before lifting a shot towards the back post. It hung in the air and had the ‘keeper beaten before dropping into the far top corner. A superb finish.
Easington were managing the game well late on, but in the fifth and final minute of additional time, Newcastle University equalised. A deep corner was met by Matthews who headed home.
The points were shared.
Full-time: Easington Colliery 2-2 Newcastle University
Although I haven’t been focussing on Division One of the Northern Counties East League, I am still looking to get to all the grounds. I decided this morning I’d have a look at women’s games, and I noticed this was being played at Yorkshire Amateur. I’ve known Derby are a well established Women’s National League Northern Premier Division side (I watched then at Sunderland a couple of times), but I wasn’t aware of Halifax. A little bit of research told me Brighouse became Halifax, and that’s how they’re playing at this level. The reason I attended this game was because it was at Yorkshire Amateur, and it’s a ground I quite liked. For Northern Counties East Lague level, it’s a good venue, but there were a few little things that I could see which maybe led them Yorkshire Amateur failing to meet ground grading in the Northern Premier League a couple of years ago. They still have the typical Northern Premier League sign outside the ground even though they’re now two divisions below.
The game was an entertaining one where Halifax just about edged it, but their goalkepeer Becky Flaherty had to save a penalty to preserve their slender lead. Drew Greene’s 21st minute strike proved to be the only goal of the game.
Full-time: Halifax FC Women 1-0 Derby County Women
Next up for me is Easington Colliery vs Newcastle University tomorrow.
Halifax FC Women: Flaherty, Boydell, Dean, Armson, Darcie Greene, Drew Greene, John, Legge (c), Sowerby, Whitham, Oliver
Subs: Stevens, Monique Walton, Willis, Freya Watson, White
Derby County Women: Morgan, Jenkins, Steggles, Jackson, Meadows, Wilson, Joyce, May, Sims (c), Rai, Ashton
Connor's Football Travels 