Bedlington Terriers 2-1 Heaton Stannington, Saturday 24th October 2020

Bedlington Terriers 2-1 Heaton Stannington, Doctor Pit Park, Northern League Division 2, att. 81

Welcome to ....

Why do Bedlington have a sheep on their badge, I wondered?  Turns out it’s not a sheep – it’s a Bedlington Terrier.  But of course it is.  I have no idea what a Bedlington Terrier (the canine kind) is.  But now I do, a silly looking mutt no self-respecting individual would be seen walking down the street with.  Not even Bedlington.  Two dogs (isn’t that an alcopop?) were in attendance, but disappointingly neither were of the local breed.  Oh well.

The Kennels/changing rooms.  Genius.

I got to the ground early.  I’d intended to have a little look around the town centre, but my route took me through there and the phrase ‘nothing to see here’ sprung to mind.  No worse than anywhere else, a couple of pubs and a Greggs summed it up.  But The Terriers were playing Heaton Stannington, from down the road in Newcastle, so I had to make sure I was one of the first 150 through the door.  I needn't have worried.  The crowd was 81, including a decent amount from Heaton.

The social club (with upstairs exec box?)

I was accosted as I entered for the half-time draw.  Go on then.  ‘What do I win?’  ‘Half the pot.’  Sounds good.  I never did hear what the winning number was though.  Did I win?  While I had his notice, I asked him why Bedlington’s crowds were so poor.  It’s not that long ago they won the Northern League 5 times in a row.  ‘You tell me’ came the reply.

The Main Stand

The ‘café’ was just opening so with tea not ready yet, I did a circumference of the ground as both teams warmed up.  From an ‘exec box’ above the social club, to loose chairs in the main (only) stand, to a sign in the tunnel referring to the changing rooms as ‘The Kennels’ (brilliant) it had its quirks.  Two sides of the ground were very enclosed, with neighbours’ back fences providing the outer boundaries.  And with most spectators on the Main Stand side, I had the perfect perch in the second half as I stood on the opposite side inbetween the two benches.

Freestyle seating in the Main Stand.

The first half I stood behind the far goal, with my cuppa.  This was a useful tool to prevent the Covid-police from telling me to put my facemask on.  Bedlington may not have many fans but they had 5 stewards, often patrolling, keeping us safe.  Tea finished, facemask on, I was ready to see the Stan keeper pull off a couple of diving saves right in front of me.  Bedlington looked the better side and the front two were a handful – so Heaton broke upfield and a shot rebounded to Joe Kerridge who drove into an empty net.  Was he 10 yards out, or 20?  I couldn’t tell.

2nd half view, towards the stand(s).

It’d been a hard fought battle and the second was more of the same, on a cloying pitch under a drab sky.  Chances were at a premium when a Terrier took on a defender and the lunging tackle brought a penalty.  This was the cue for the ref to be surrounded by at least 8 away players as they contended that their man had got the ball (putting it out for a corner).  I thought they had a point, but ‘it’s one of those’.  The ref may not have been able to see the touch from his angle.  Even the home manager admitted he’d have been unhappy had it been given against his side.  The keeper dived left, the ball went right.

Heaton defend a corner.

Terrier tails were now up and a few minutes later the ref gave the home side another spot kick.  ‘You’ve had two f***ing shockers ref’ shouted a Heaton sub, though complaints on the pitch were at a premium, as the ref initially allowed play to continue following the foul, with the keeper saving the shot with his legs.  The penalty went the same place as the first, as did the keeper, 2-1 Terriers.  This it stayed despite a couple of late deadball situations, including the keeper coming up for a corner.  And despite a few comments between subs and players, it was all smiles between the benches at the death – as it should be.

The winning penalty.

The Damage:

£5 ent
£1 half-time draw
£1 tea 
= £7

The Tunes:
Whirlpool (Chapterhouse)
Nowhere (Ride)
6 Music (Gilles Petersen)

Behind the far goal.  Didn't Everton's once look like this?

Behind the near goal. (Note: they're leaves, not tickertape.)

The scoreboard.  Switched off dead on full-time.

The home dugout.  An enraged sub?

The dugout touchline with neighbours' back fences.

The Main Stand.

Doctor Pit Park panorama.  Classic alliteration.

The far goal.

The Jack Carter Stand.

A local hedge.  I couldn't resist.