Ryhope Colliery Welfare 2-1 West Auckland, Ryhope Recreation Ground, Northern League Division 1, att. 94
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It had lashed it down all day in County Durham and fixtures started dropping like flies; games at Tow Law, Hebburn and Shildon went the way of Billingham Town, postponed the previous evening due to a floodlight problem. As ever, it pays to check. I’d originally planned on going to Billingham Town, while there would be little chance of getting a ticket (remember, capacity at present capped at 150) for the top of the table clash between Hebburn and Stockton Town. The latter was going to be beamed back to Town’s social club. Good lord….
Inside CW's pergola.
I plumped for Ryhope CW, not to be confused with Ryhope CA. Colliery Welfare v Community Association, the former was established in 1892, the latter in 1963 as a youth club team. That both are now fixtures in the Northern League should be considered an immense achievement, in a town of 14,000. (Stockton, by contrast, has a population of 85,000.) Of course, another way of looking at Ryhope is as a suburb of Sunderland, a vast place.
Down the touchline.
Tonite the Colliery Welfare were playing West Auckland, who, as everyone knows, were the holders of the first World Cup (or Thomas Lipton Trophy), in 1909. Two years later they beat Juventus 6-1 to retain the trophy. I wonder what ever happened to them? This evening West would be playing in front of less than 100 supporters on a pitch in the middle of a housing estate on the edge of Sunderland.
Looking towards the far end.
Once parked up, the only signage I could find announced the entrance to the park wasn’t via the bar…but as I couldn’t see where it actually was, I went into the bar and was told I could come through the bar to the ground. ‘The sign’s to stop kids coming in.’ Then, like Feethams (ahh, the Good Old Days) one has to walk around a cricket pitch to the football pitch. Conditions of entry were the payment of £6, a check-in of the venue on the NHS Coronavirus app and the wearing of a facemask, which was mostly adhered to by those attending.
The changing rooms.
The ground is a basic affair. There was a pre-fab which looked ripe for refreshments, but wasn’t open. There’s a small stand behind the goal which held about 100 red seats, and a pergola-looking thing down one touchline, complete with overhanging vegetation and a roof. A fair few stood here, out of the rain, but it wasn’t ideal for social distancing and I’m still determined to avoid contracting Coronavirus, if only to ensure I keep my aged dad safe (when he gets out of hospital). Otherwise, there were no structures to speak of, save for the changing rooms with accompanying toilets.
A West player has a pre-match word.
I spent most of the first half behind the West goal, before deciding I’d be better off on the touchline at the other end, with West one up and looking the more dangerous. Soon after, CW equalised (of course they did) with a fabulous first time strike. The cross, hard and fast on a soggy surface, took a bounce and the centre forward lashed it in on the half volley to the opposite corner. A strike worthy of a much higher level. West’s goal wasn’t too shabby either, a 40 yard crossfield ball making space for the right winger to cut inside and hit a powerful shot which the keeper looked to have saved with his outstretched hand, only for it to loop up and bounce over the line. The second half was generally even and was decided by a penalty for a blatant chop. 2-1 to the home side.
The CW pergola.
One more thing
though…RCW came out in the red and white stripes of Sunderland, as did Ryhope
CA and Seaham Red Star before them. What
is it about these teams? Do all teams in
Newcastle play in black and white stripes?
I sincerely hope not.
The Damage:
= £6
The Tunes:
Implant (Eatstatic)
Behind the goal.
My 1st half view (no goals at this end).
Down the touchline.
The Main / Only Stand.
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