The ground situation in the NL remains fluid. Washington have recently moved into a new ground in their own town (woo hoo!), a welcome return from the abysmal Ford Hub in Sunderland (home of Sunderland West End). Prudhoe Youth Club Seniors (bizarrely, the men’s side is a spin-off of the youth club side, the original Prudhoe Town having gone bust) play at the old Kimberley Park ((now Essity Park), sharing with Newcastle University. Chester-le-Street United, meantime, started the season at the Riverside, but before I’ve had chance to get there, have been forced out due to the inadequacy of the floodlights. However, instead of sharing with local rivals Chester-le-Street Town, they’re off to the plastic of the Ford Hub. Hopefully that’ll be as temporary as possible. Pickering Town, relegated from the Northern Premier League East, have been placed in the NL by the FA and now face some long trips from their North Yorkshire base. They’re now the most southerly outpost of the NL and a good hour and a half from my County Durham home. Good job Penrith and Carlisle City are in the first division, that’d be 3 hours+.
So, from Ferens Park, Boro Rangers open their account this evening at the Stokesley Sports Club, over the (Tees) border, the other side of Middlesbrough. It’s also the home of the North Riding County FA. Their last away game was also here, against similarly confused Billingham Synthonia, again, across the Tees in the ancient county of Durham. So, does that mean I must make TWO visits to Stokesley this season?
I’m unsure of Rangers’ origins. Their badge looks uncannily like Middlesbrough’s. Were they formed by Boro fans? Dunno, but the 2 kids behind the goal are the manager’s kids and they’re (Middles)boro season ticket holders, they tell me. Perhaps this accounts for the low crowd tonite. Middlesbrough are at home in the Championship, and there’s also Champions League on telly. (Then again, maybe not….their home attendances this season have been 40, 68 and 29, terribly low even by NL division 2 standards.) Why come out to the nether regions to get cold? Well, local folk are missing a treat. Rangers were on fire tonite, continuing a run that’s brought them the North Riding League 7 (seven) years in a row, no mean achievement. 4-0 winners over midtable Boldon, they’re 2nd on goal difference with 35 points and 11 wins from 14 games. Ironically, their only defeat was in their final home game at New Ferens Park against their new groundsharers Synthonia.
I quite like the ground. I park up in the large car park adjacent and am in. A small stand seating around 200 takes up a quarter of the touchline from the corner flag, while behind the near goal is virtually all covered, creating a cosy feel. The dugouts are tight to the fence on the far side, meaning you can’t technically make a circuit of the stadium, while a wooden fence encloses the other end. A hedge down half a touchline completes a quaint venue. Oddly the changing rooms are outside the ground, in a building also housing the clubhouse. I go in at half time to have a cuppa and warm up. There’s a long wait on the kettle though, so I settle for a Staropramen and updates of the Champions League on the telly.
Rangers were on top throughout and opened the scoring after 13 minutes. Harry Williams brought the ball forward, cut inside, and lashed a shot into the top corner from 20 yards. His second, after the hour mark, was another great finish, a volley from a ball over the top. The 3rd was due to a mistake from the keeper, as he gave the ball away on the edge of the box. One pass later and it’s drilled low into the far corner. Mitchinson completes a double of his own, hammering a drive into the top of the net behind the keeper as the latter tiptoed out expecting a cross (as did Mitchinson’s teammates). It’s full-time and the keeper storms out back to the changing rooms. ‘F***in’ embarrassing that, mind.’ I think he means the team’s overall performance, rather than his own. It was a very poor night for Boldon.The Damage:£5 ent£3.95 Staropramen= £8.95The Tunes:BBC6 Music (Marc Riley / Gideon Coe)
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