Workington 3-1 Ilkeston Town, Saturday 12th September 2026

Workington 3-1 Ilkeston Town, Northern Premier League Premier Division, Fibrus Community Stadium (Derwent Park), att. 818

I was reminded yesterday of schoolboy holidays to Devon and Cornwall. Bear with me. I was thinking of the last (only) time I’ve been to Workington and it was a beautiful, sunny day. Today was similar. Sunny, warm. And as a kid, calling in on family at Somerset on the way to a Dawlish, or Perranporth, or Woolacombe, I’d marvel at how it never rained where they lived. Anyway, it never rains in Workington as far as I can deduce, and it’s nice to reminisce over those holidays I never failed to enjoy.

It’s a long drive to Workington too. 3 hours – and I actually live in the north (near Huddersfield). I can see why they were voted out of the league in the 70s. But it’s that Football League heritage that brings me and other groundhoppers here. The old Borough Park ground is now closed, the football team sharing the nearby Fibrus Community Stadium (Derwent Park) while the local council knocks down and rebuilds Borough Park before turning it into the 5,000 capacity Cumberland Sports Village. Both rugby league and football teams will share the new stadium and Derwent Park will join Borough Park in being demolished.

Knowing the geography, I park up across the bridge from Borough Park in the aptly named Northside. (I’ve now had another childhood memory; it never dawned on me as a kid that the street behind mine...and the last in town…’Southside’ was the very last street at the south of my hometown.) From the bridge, you can look down on Borough Park and as I crossed I saw a few enterprising groundhoppers (middle-aged, Caucasian, nosey – how does anyone tell a groundhopper?) looking for a way in to the now derelict ground. If you can’t beat ‘em, etc. I’m not far behind and enjoy a 20 minute exploration. With the others perhaps more determined to see kick-off at Derwent Park, I am soon on my own. Feel the history. Feel the sadness. Another old ground soon to be dismantled in the name of progress.

Derwent Park, as the name suggests, is about 10 minutes further along the River Derwent. This is another absolute gem, but in a totally different way, as it also used to house a speedway team, the Workington Comets. Consequently, there is a large curved terrace at the Town End of the stadium, though the top third is barriered-off for some reason. Looks safe enough, though with a current safety certificate for just over 3,000, in a ground that once held 17,000 for a rugby league game, they’re taking no chances.

The far end curve isn’t as large, but is grassed over. A path around its rear is closed off, so no walk around the inside perimeter for me. And with crowds not coming close to 3,000, this makes Derwent Park essentially a two-sided stadium. To the right, as you enter, is a large covered terrace which runs the length of the pitch. ‘Cider Pete’s Bar’ sells a couple of cans of something, amidst not much else. So where are fans getting those pints of beer from? (Ans: a container the other side of the ground.) I enjoy the first half on this side, parking my raincoat on a crush barrier as I’m actually too hot. It’s just like Somerset this is.

Workington score twice in the opening 10 minutes or so, both close range finishes. Ilkeston appear to have plenty of players who look big and powerful, but have no idea on how to defend. Still, I shouldn’t be surprised. The home side go on to record their 6th successive win (5th successive game in which they’ve scored 3). Ilkeston aren’t really in it. Even when they pull a goal back to make it 2-1, it merely spurs Workington on to make the game safe.

Second half, I’ve retreated to the Main Stand. Despite being some yards from the pitch, the height brings even better views. Again, it spans virtually the full pitch length and tapers at each end. They don’t build ‘em like this anymore. Mainly cos everyone demands perfect views. Here, we have stanchions holding up the roof, and non-league floodlights (4 on each touchline). But I can drink my Angelo Poretti in peace following my sausage and bacon bap (no butter). I love it here, just as I loved it at Borough Park. I’ll reserve judgement on the Cumberland Sports Village.

The Damage:
£15 ent
£3 programme
£4.80 sausage and bacon bap
£4.50 Angelo Poretti (pint of)
= £27.30

Chorley 5-2 Darlington, Tuesday 8th September 2026

Chorley 5-2 Darlington, National League North, Victory Park, att. 717

There I was, comparing Northern Premier League games with local(ish) FA Cup replays when I spotted Darlo were at Chorley. Well, who wouldn’t rather go to a game with Darlo fan SuperKev, rather than tick off a new ground? Sometimes, it’s just nice to have company at a game, and as I told him pre-match, it was win-win for me. Darlo win, I’m happy, Darlo lose, and I can enjoy watching Kev suffer. Tonite is very much the latter.

We went last season, a Satdy game, and partook in the train and drinks pre and post match. I really enjoyed it. Sadly, we’ve no time to enjoy town frivolities this time (though we did drive past the bus station, with its immortal tagline ‘Chorley, the best of Lancashire all in one place.’ One need never visit the rest of the county.) We were already cutting it fine to visit a local hostelry, but the traffic was a nightmare, as motorway merged into motorway around Manchester.

We park up in an estate by the ground and walk through the park behind the main stand. What were the away turnstiles last season aren’t open. Maybe Darlo’s idiots don’t travel, midweek? Anyway, there’s no segregation and we walk around and gain entrance with everybody else. £3 cheaper in advance too. The blurb makes reference to buying it a day before, but Kev got mine in at 5pm, so one to be aware of (like at Marine, where we bought our tickets online at the turnstile, to save 2 quid!)

The social club is VAST, with half a dozen on more large tellies hanging off the wall. Do we stay in and watch Champs Lge, or savour the 6th tier? 6th tier wins, and we discover an outdoor bar with loads of picnic tables too. Even better, they’ve nailed up scarves of all colours and creeds on the fence around the bar, making it look like a giant outdoor stall at one of them Big Stadia. Kev’s not too happy about seeing a Spennymoor Town one though, and, even worse, it’s adjacent to a Darlo scarf. The Pride of County Durham, together!

We eschew the home end, a sizeable terrace which begins a few yards behind the perimeter fence, and lean on the barrier by the side of the pitch. The ground looks empty. There’s Villa on the telly, Bolton at home down the road and the Autumn cold is coming in. I wish I’d brought my hat.

Still, not penned into one end, I get to admire the couple of bizarre stands on this side. One looks like a glorified garden shed/’shoffice’ with half a dozen of them seats I only ever see in Premiership dugouts stood on a raised patio. This must be the exec section, though there’s no takers tonite, till 4 young Darlo fans make it their home, second half, to bait home fans about the size of their support. At least one act of defiance from Darlo. The team are losing four-nil.

Another small stand is perched precariously off the banking and reminds me of Bojack Horseman’s residence in Hollywood. (THERE’S a niche comparison!) Poles carrying the weight of the building above, in this case, seating of maybe 30. Must be incredible views. We should’ve gone up and joined the two fans sitting up there. We did enjoy some interaction though, as the mature lady on the front row dropped her walking stick and Kev and I did our good deed for the day, fishing it up from behind the perimeter fence. Any excuse to miss some of the match.

Ah, the match. Not much of a match. As in, these teams weren’t very well matched. 3 nil at half-time (and a missed penalty) turned into 4 10 mins into the 2nd half. Would Darlo match their 8-0 rout of a few years back here? Thankfully not. Subs on, game changed and Darlo pulled 2 back on 74 and 79. At this rate, we might see a draw. But it was to no avail. A poor backpass sealed the 5th, before a late sending off for sub Routledge, who’d pioneered the comeback. Booked for ‘helping’ a grounded Chorley player to his feet, it was a talking-to at best, but the ref carded him and after a several seconds appeared to realise he’d already booked him, so brought out the red. A lively half an hour for the sub, who’d also scored both Quakers’ goals.

The Damage:
£17 ent*
£9 2 pints of Wainwright Gold. Very average.
= £26

*Kev treated me.