I wanted to do a game today, but there wasn’t a huge mount of choice for new venues. I wouldn’t have minded a long trip, but if I did, I wanted to ideally do two games, and that wasn’t possible anywhere. In the end, I decided this was the best option for a new venue, sand so a 45 minute trip up to Ponteland it was. The venue is just a typical caged artificial pitch with spectator standing down two thirds of the side you enter only. It has floodlights but no dugouts, and you pay at the short end of a container as you enter where they also sell drinks, chocolate, crisps etc. There is a tidy bar in the leisure centre a couple of minutes walk from the pitch, and toilets are in there too.
As for the game, Leeds led fairly early but I thought it was possibly harsh on Ponteland. The two sides were quite well matched, but in the end, the visitors ran out comfortable winners.
Full-time: Ponteland United Women 0-3 Leeds Modernians Women
Easington Colliery were beaten 2-1 away at Whitley Bay on Saturday afternoon.
Luke Pearn looked to have grabbed a point for the Colliers in the 89th minute after Spencer Ashcroft had given Whitley Bay the lead, but Lennox Magalhaes’ strike in the second additional minute won it for Whitley Bay.
Upon kick-off, the Colliers started very brightly. Within 15 seconds, there was a good chance for Liam Adamson but the goalkeeper saved well.
Still inside the opening four minutes, Adamson had another good chance. Liam Cooke released Adamson through, but an awful bobble resulted with Liam skying the ball over the crossbar with just the ‘keeper to beat.
Luca Shilling tried his luck with a first time volley in the 12th minute in Whitley Bay’s first chance, but it was easy for James Hopkinson.
In the 24th minute, a well struck first time volley from Adamson looked to have given the Colliers the lead, but it was ruled out for offside.
The Colliers had the ball in the net again six minutes later when the Whitley Bay goalkeeper dropped the ball and Aiden Stanton bundled home, but the referee ruled Stanton to have fouled the goalkeeper.
Adamson and Stanton had further half chances for the Colliers towards the end of the first half, but it was goalless at the break.
Chances early in the second half were somewhat at a premium, with Ethan Ord heading wide being the only half chance.
In the 63rd minute, Whitley Bay took the lead. They worked the ball into Ashcroft on the edge of the penalty area, and he had a bit of time before executing a good finish into the bottom corner.
Stanton had a half chance come and go as the Colliers looked to respond, before there was a big chance to equalise for Brad Hird in the 75th minute. Having only been on the pitch for six minutes after being subbed on following his injury, Hird was released through on goal, but his shot rolled the wrong side of the far post.
Ord and Adamson both went close as the Colliers continued to search for an equaliser, and the equaliser arrived in the 89th minute. Adamson’s initial shot was blocked, and the ball bounced around before dropping to Pearn whose looping header dropped into the net to make it one-one.
The Colliers had the momentum and went in search of a winner, but in the second additional minute, Whitley Bay scored the winner. A defensive error gave possession to Magalhaes, and he made the most of it by firing the ball beyond Hopkinson to give his side all three points.
Full-time: Whitley Bay 2-1 Easington Colliery
Next up for me is probably Field Olympic on Tuesday night.
Lower Breck was in the forthcoming fixtures for this Wednesday night, but I just didn’t fancy the long drive there and back, and when looking at alternatives, this Premier League International Cup fixture immediately caught the eye. I’ve watched plenty of games in this competition over the years, but it’s rare I watch one of the European clubs more than once. This again was proved tonight having never watched Jong Genk.
I thought Genk were the better side throughout this one and they deservedly led through former Sporting Kansas City man Kayden Pierre’s delicate little dink in the 20th minute.
However, with more or less the last kick of the game, Ezra Tika-Lemba equalised for Boro after a mix up at the back for Genk.
Jong Genk: Boev, Manguelle, Yoshinaga, Pierre (El Morabet, 74’), Henry, Driessen (N’Salambi, 74’), Ogbeiwi (Borgers, 89’), Kone (Mocsnik, 62’), Nzoko, Coenen, Achahbar (Barry, 74’)
Unused subs: Debusschere, Balde
Admission: £3 adults, £1 concessions (all those who bought tickets were also given a free ticket for next week’s game against Juventus, but I won’t be there as Easington are at home)
Easington Colliery continued their excellent start to the season with a 2-1 win at Redcar Town on Tuesday night.
Aiden Stanton and Liam Adamson were both on the scoresheet for the Colliers who came from behind after Callum Luck’s opening goal for Redcar.
Redcar started the game well, and they were on top for the opening 25 minutes. James Hopkinson was forced into a couple of comfortable early stops, before the hosts took the lead in the 13th minute. A deep cross found the unmarked Luck at the back post and he guided a header into the net.
The Colliers needed to respond, but Redcar were still looking the more dangerous.
There were four yellow cards inside the opening 24 minutes, but there hadn’t been a bad challenge.
Ultimately, one of those four led to what many would argue to be the game changing moment as Redcar striker McCorie Carmichael was shown a second yellow card for diving in the penalty area.
After Redcar had been reduced to 10, the Colliers suddenly found their feet. Luke Pearn and Stanton both had half chances before Adamson was inches away from being on the end of a very inviting ball.
With just a couple of seconds of normal time to play in the first half, Stanton pulled the Colliers level. Dane Eltringham lifted a deep cross into the penalty area, and Stanton’s simply wonderful first time dipping volley back across goal dropped into the top corner.
Half-time came at a bad time for Easington as they were just starting to get a real grip of the game.
Redcar had a good chance to regain their lead four minutes into the second half, but in the 57th minute, Adamson scored what proved to be the winner. Liam was picked out on the left before his trademark cut inside beat a defender and he worked room to shoot. From 18 yards, Liam found the bottom corner and the Colliers were ahead.
Stanton and Denny Tapping had chances to further the Colliers’ lead, but Redcar still created a chance or two themselves, and they went close when a shot took a deflection but didn’t prove any trouble for Hopkinson.
Ryan Taylor and Dom Agnew then both went close from corners, with the former forcing a very good save from Redcar’s Will Cowey, before the same goalkeeper produced an easier save to deny Tapping.
In the 87th minute, Redcar were reduced to nine men as a high challenge on Nathan Greenwood saw Harry Thompson be dismissed.
Seven and a half additional minutes were found from somewhere, and in those additional minutes, Reece Kenney had a great chance to wrap it up for Colliers, but Cowey made himself big to save.
The Colliers managed the dying embers of the game well to pick up another very good three points.
This was a first visit since July 2018 to Seaton Carew. That was when they played Easington in a friendly, and the ground was as it had been for many years in the Wearside League. Following their promotion to the Northern League, the groun is much improved. There is still work to be done, but they’ve got their lights up, they have a stand behind the goal, changing rooms in the ground and a couple of little spots for hospitality. It also has hard standing all the way round now. Although it used to be basic, there was always going to be plenty of room to develop around it, and they will turn it into a decent Northern League venue in time.
On the field, they’re doing absolutely fine in their first Northern League season. They’re mid-table and comfortable, and this proved to be a very comfortable win against a struggling Prudhoe.
Full-time: Seaton Carew 5-0 Prudhoe YC Seniors
Next up for me is Redcar Town vs Easington Colliery on Tuesday night.
With plans this evening and many who I normally go to Pools with going to this one, it made sense to do this early kick-off at Pools. I would then go to Seaton Carew for a first visit since they were promoted to the Northern League, and a first visit in many years. I think a lot of people (especially those associated with the club) expected Pools to do well this season, but it hasn’t started that way, and there was pressure on manager Lee Clark coming into this one. The Vic never really changes, and this was my first visit of the season.
As for the game, Worthing were clinical which ultimately won them the game, and they were probably marginally the better side.
Full-time: Hartlepool United 1-3 Worthing
Next up for me is Redcar Town vs Easington Colliery on Tuesday night.
Admission: £22 in advance for adult. £24 on the day
Programme: I was going to get one as I haven’t had a Pools programme for a long time, but I couldn’t find anyone selling them. They’re apparently only sold in the club shop.
Colliers continue excellent start to league campaign with Yarm victory
Easington Colliery continued their excellent start to the league campaign with a 1-0 win at home to Yarm & Eaglescliffe on Friday night.
Liam Adamson’s 32nd minute strike proved the difference between the sides on a windy night at the Welfare Park.
It was a very physical battle at the Welfare Park, and there wasn’t a huge amount of clear cut chances.
Upon kick-off at the Welfare Park, the first chance of the game fell the way of Adamson in the fifth minute, but he couldn’t find the target with a shot.
Physicality was the order of the game in the opening quarter of an hour, with the wind also having an impact. If you came to the Welfare Park looking for free flowing passing football, you were to be disappointed from this one.
In the 22nd minute, Adamson and Stanton linked up to find Liam Cooke, and his effort looked dangerous, but it took a deflection and proved easy for the goalkeeper.
Seconds later, at the other end, Yarm created their first chance and James Hopkinson was forced to push a shot behind for a corner.
Ten minutes later, in the 32nd minute, Adamson scored the game’s only goal. Liam picked the ball up on the left and drifted across the penalty area before taking aim. The shot was aimed at the near post, and that’s exactly where it found to put the Green Army ahead.
The Colliers had a shout for a penalty in first half additional time when the ball seemed to strike a Yarm hand in the area, but the appeals were waved away.
Following the break, the Colliers had a couple of good chances to double the lead in the 52nd minute. A header from a corner forced a good save from Lee Roberts, and an effort from the resulting second corner was cleared off the line.
Not a great deal happened in front of goal for the rest of the game, but that wasn’t a bad thing from an Easington perspective.
The Colliers were defending well, and Yarm weren’t really creating anything.
With 10 minutes to play, Adamson looked to be through on goal from Hopkinson’s long goal kick, but the assistant’s flag went up for offside. We all know you can’t be offside from a goal kick, and the assistant apologised, but the referee didn’t overrule it. A shout from the crowd towards the referee ended up with Olly Hotchkiss being booked, and then Marc Hopkinson was booked too. Dane Eltringham was then sin binned after a foul seconds later. Ultimately, all of these cautions boiled down to frustrations from a mistake from the officials around a basic rule, and it meant the Colliers had to play the final 10 minutes with 10 men.
Thankfully, the Colliers continued to manage the game well, and they saw it out to claim another impressive three points.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was another three points to put the Colliers on 28 points from the first 11 games.
This was certainly a momentous night for Sunderland after everything the club has been through, and the queue for programmes showed just that. People say programmes are a dying trade and I tend to agree, but the queue for the programme seller just over the new Keel Crossing at Sunderland last night was at least 100 people deep an hour before kick-off! The atmosphere was up there with the best I’ve seen, and it was a great night to be associated with Sunderland. Having not been to a Europa League game for years, I’ve now been to two in a month with this and OFI Crete vs CSKA Sofia last month. I do wonder how many others have done both of those games, and there’s surely no one else who was at both of them and Kinsley Boys on Tuesday night!
As for the game, it was a good game between two sides who both wanted to play good football. I was entertained watching’s AZ’s Weslley Patati and Bendegúz Kovács in the warm up. They both, especially the latter, had superb ball control! I thought Sunderland were the better side on the whole and just about deserved the three points, but AZ had some good chances too. You’d imagine both sides will do reasonably well in the Europa League.
Full-time: Sunderland 1-0 AZ Alkmaar
Next up for me is Easington Colliery vs Yarm and Eaglescliffe on Friday night.
Kinsley were one of the sides promoted to the Northern Counties East League for this season, and an early season trip was always going to be the plan. It’s only an hour and a half down to Kingsley making it one of the closer grounds.
This is Kinsley’s first season at step 6, and they have the most important feature to the ground which is lights. Spectators are only allowed on two sides, and those sides are the two which greet you as you enter in the corner. Behind the goal is a clubhouse and toilets, and most spectators stand down the one side of the pitch you’re allowed on. It has one small bit of cover with two steps or terracing and six chairs from the bar at the back!
Other than that, it’s hard standing down that side or behind the goal where you enter. It requires work to meet ground grading, but it’s work that is not too difficult. There is a good big car park just outside the ground. The car park was primarily for the greyhound stadium opposite. All greyhound stadiums seem to be in decline, but Kinsley seems to be in decline even more than any other. It’s a shame there was no racing on as I would have watched a few races before going to the game if possible.
South Leeds are a side I’ve watched a few times over the last few years, and apart from one game, I remember there always being plenty of goals in South Leeds games.
As for the game, Kinsley were the better side, but not by a huge amount. They took a very early lead and then added a second late on.
Full-time: Kinsley Boys 2-0 South Leeds
Next up for me is Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar tonight.
