Durham City 2-5 Esh Winning, Northern League Division 2, Hall Lane (Willington), att. 59Tonight is my second visit of the season to Hall Lane, home of Willington AFC, as it’s also the temporary home of crisis club Durham City. Booted out of their New Ferens ground in 2015, they’re living the nomadic life, first of all at Consett, approximately 15 miles north-west of Durham, and now Willington, 8 miles south-west. How they stay in business with no crowds to speak of, and groundsharing, is a wonder of itself, though they’ve teetered close to the edge this season, with games cancelled and the league demanding a bond of £1000 for Durham to continue. Someone…no-one knows who…paid up and the game continues. However, with one draw all season and nineteen defeats, relegation to the Wearside League is all but assured. A far cry from the halcyon days of the 1920s as members of the Football League.
Tonight I thought I was witnessing history as Durham scored in the last minute of the first half to lead 2-1. Along with 58 others, I could say ‘I was there when Durham City finally won a game of football.’ It wasn’t to last. Fellow strugglers Esh (it’s all relative) equalised within 2 minutes of the restart and ran out comfortable 5-2 winners. Tonight’s result, though, is the least of Durham’s problems. But at least they have a cool strip.
The Damage:£5 ent
£1 half time draw
£1 donation
= £7
The Tunes:Orbital II or ‘The Brown Album’ (Orbital)
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