I’ll start by saying that it is confirmed that Horden CW are now Darlington 1883 Reserves and I’ll tell you how my position stands. As it has been circulating for a couple of weeks, it has been confirmed that Horden CW are becoming Darlington’s second side and the Sunderland Echo did an article about it all early including quotes from Norman Stephens. That is all the truth, the club would have struggled to have continued at Grayfields in Hartlepool, there was simply not enough money coming in. The future as Darlington Reserves looks bright and promotion to the Northern League (yes people say reserve sides can’t be in the Northern League but there is a way around that with the help of Darlington’s first team) is the aim for the next couple of years. The club will be playing at Eastbourne Sports Complex in Darlington. An official announcement will be made from Darlington in the next couple of days and that will be exactly what we’ll be saying too. Now to my position. For university, I have to cover a local club. That club was going to be Horden CW. The club has within preferably a 5 mile radius of Sunderland and even Horden is a bit far out the way but I was given an exception. However, Darlington is way too far out of the way so I’m going to have to cover some other side. That other side will be Easington Colliery. I will still do all I can to help Norman and everyone at Darlington Reserves out and I will get to the games that I can and I will still write reports or whatever they like. I just simply can’t be as committed as that commitment is now going to Easington Colliery. When I found out that I wouldn’t be able to fully cover Darlington Reserves, it was a no brainer where I wanted to go. Easington are very good people and have been wanting me to do some work for them for months and I’m more than happy to do that. As I say, that will be my priority and I will be doing quite a bit for them but I will still do as much as is possible for Darlington Reserves. That covers that. Today has been a day of me watching tennis! It was Clash of the Minsters at Sunderland University as they hosted York St John’s in the annual competition. I was asked to cover the tennis by doing updates on the SportsByte Twitter and doing a report afterwards. That’s exactly what I did. I didn’t get the report finished till around half five so I just made my way straight from university onto the metro and to Brockley Whins Metro Station and from there, I walked down to the ground. I’ve also decided that these write ups are going to be shorter from now on. The actual report bit will be more concise and have like a headline as it would if it was a proper report on a proper website. That will help me with my degree as that will be how I write them at university. So, instead of the 1500 words the actual report usually gets on top of the 800 or so of other stuff, it’ll be more like 600 or 700 words for the actual report.
Match report:
Colliers defeated in cruel style at Boldon CA.
Following a game of few chances, Tom West managed to bundle home from a corner in the 92nd minute to give Boldon CA the three points in a tight game.
A quiet start didn’t really see an awful lot of chances. After Darlington 1883 Reserves had won a corner within the opening ten seconds, the game settled down with not an awful lot of real action. Eight minutes in, Brian Myers chased down a Boldon pass back and forced a poor clearance from Brett Wilson. Kieran Voss picked up possession and from 35 yards, Voss lobbed the ‘keeper and the ball looked to be bouncing into the net but instead bounced a matter of inches wide in what was a big let off for the home side. Kieran Voss managed to get his head on a Craig Garthwaite free-kick on 17 minutes but he couldn’t find much power and his glancing header bounced harmlessly wide. Micky Naylor fired a half cleared corner over the crossbar halfway through the first half and despite the game being quite level, it was probably the visitors who were seeing the most dangerous attack. However, a change was forced after Craig Garthwaite took a knock to the head meaning considerable amounts of blood was running down his face. Garthwaite was unable to continue and debutant Derek Wade took his place. With half an hour on the clock, Jack Young tried his luck for the home side but his effort lacked power and was an easy take for Connor Pearce. Little happened in the remainder of the first half and after two Boldon CA corners, one of which was headed towards goal by Adam Drysdale but couldn’t beat Connor Pearce, the referee blew for time meaning it was a stalemate at the break.
Half-time: Boldon CA 0-0 Darlington 1883 Reserves
Darlington 1883 Reserves started the second half brightly and only four minutes in, Brian Myers, Kieran Voss and Leo Kirkbride linked up well to give Voss a chance but his shot was closed down and blocked. Meanwhile, at the other end, Dominic Mossa tried his luck from 20 yards but he could only blaze well over the crossbar. Around the hour mark, Darlington Reserves almost broke the deadlock. Having won the ball in the centre of the park, the ball was worked round to Kieran Voss who from 22 yards looked up to fire an effort which rattled the crossbar with Brett Wilson well and truly beaten. This attempt seemed to shake Boldon up and they came out fighting with both Oliver Bone and Dominic Mossa coming close when firing narrowly over. Twenty minutes from time, a second Darlington Reserves change saw Brian Myers give way for Haydn Pace. Boldon themselves had a great chance to take the lead twenty minutes from time when a lucky bounce saw the ball fall to their man at the back post but he could only blaze over while under pressure. Two minutes later, a dipping half volley from the South Tynesiders dipped just over the crossbar and at this point, they looked the more likely to score. Numerous Boldon corners were then dealt with before Darlington’s final change saw Leo Kirkbride give way for Nathan Stephenson. Connor Pearce was forced into a good save in the final seven minutes and then Danny Naylor was forced to clear a header off the line. It looked as though Darlington were to hold out for a 0-0 draw but in the 92nd minute, another Boldon corner dropped in the penalty area and Tom West eventually managed to bundle the ball home to give Boldon the three points which lifts them to sixth in the league.
Full-time: Boldon CA 1-0 Darlington 1883 Reserves
Boldon CA Team: Wilson, West, Nolan, Williams, Burn, Hucks, Pickering, Carroll, Mossa, Drysdale, Young
Boldon CA Subs: Laverick, Cooper, Tate (On for Dominic Mossa, 84 minutes), Bone (On for Shaun Carroll, 48 minutes)
Darlington 1883 Reserves Team: Pearce, Collinson, Danny Naylor, Kenny, Garthwaite, Micky Naylor, Atkinson, Kirkbride, Myers (c), Voss, Matthews
Darlington 1883 Reserves Subs: Wade (On for Craig Garthwaite, 24 minutes), Stepehenson (On for Leo Kirkbride, 79 minutes), Pace (On for Brian Myers, 70 minutes), Williams, Clerihew
Admission: Free for me, otherwise £2.50 Adults, £1.50 Concessions
Programme: No
Attendance: 30
Referee: Neil Milburn
Connor's Football Travels 