Although only formed in 1975 as a works team, Dunston’s rise has been rapid and they leave behind an FA Vase victory (2012), back to back Northern League and Cup doubles (2004 and 2005), as well as 3 successive league cups (1998-2000). Not bad for a side set up less than 50 years ago who’ve progressed via the Newcastle City Amateur League, Northern Amateur League, the Northern Combination and the Wearside League. A final Northern League Championship in 2019 saw them continue their upward trajectory to the Northern Premier League. They’ve had name changes too. Previously, they were Dunston Federation Brewery, after local sponsorship…and lately Dunston UTS after another package. However, league rules now stipulate they can’t include a sponsor’s name anymore, but credit due to UTS who still sponsor the ground.
Today they play Stockton Town. Both are at opposite ends of County Durham, the hosts on the banks of the Tyne, the visitors the Tees. So, a derby of sorts, and with both sides going well in the league (Stockton 2nd, Dunston challenging for the play-offs) I anticipated a decent crowd. It was a disappointing 280.
Furthermore, the Dunston PA introduced Stockton as ‘our friends from County Durham’. Technically, true…but no more true than Dunston being from County Durham. And while Dunston may claim membership of the artificial entity calling itself ‘Tyne and Wear’, well, aren’t Stockton a unitary authority these days? Let’s keep it simple. They both play in the Durham Challenge Cup, so were both in County Durham at some point. Maybe our (County Durham’s) branding needs to be a bit more Yorkshire in its fundamentalism.
I get there early and have a beer in the clubhouse, which I have to leave the ground to enter. I’ve got there before the Stockton supporters coach, so grab a cosy spot in the corner before the rush. It’s behind one goal, and first half I choose to find a perch on the left hand touchline, in the stand. Be nice to have a sit down. And it’s a fine view, as 2 teams go hammer and tong at each other. Dunston take the lead and thereby control, but a serious injury and 10 mins of inaction upsets their rhythm, Stockton equalising in the last minute of the first half.
By now, I’ve gone for a wander around the ground and as the equaliser goes in, I find myself near a couple of certain vintage. ‘That’s never his goal’ as the PA announcer credits Eliot Beddow, a winger player I’d been immensely impressed with at Thornaby the year before. ‘It was already over the line’ corrects the linesman. Well, I was in line with it and you could see Beddow’s cross going wide till a defender running towards goal panics and puts it in. I’d have thought the linesman had a perfect view too, but apparently not.
Second half, I go and stand under cover opposite the main stand. There’s kids in this stand…5 of them….making one hell of a racket. They trot out all the old favourites; ‘We’re the Dunston boys making all the noise’…’I’m Dunston till I die’…I couldn’t stand it any longer and went to stand outside again. Still, better they’re in here than causing bother, eh? A high quality game ends all-square leaving both sides in promising positions to press on, and me to wander back to the Metro Centre and pick up my partner. I trust they’ll have enjoyed it more than the time my dad and I went to see Barnsley play and my mum had to spend an afternoon in Oldham…
The Damage:
£9 ent
£3 Claspers Citrus Pale Ale (500ml)
£1.40 tea
= £13.40
The Tunes:
BBC 5live
No comments:
Post a Comment