Happy New Year! And what better way to get rid of the hangover I don’t have than to see the return fixture of last week’s battle of County Durham? Ambitious small town club Spennymoor taking on former Football League stalwart strugglers Darlington in the National League North. Last week’s tempestuous affair saw 2 sent off, a punch thrown and crowd trouble. Would that we be privy to such excitement this week.
It started well, as I parked up close by South Park, 10 minutes’ walk or so away. I had my ticket on my phone and there were 4 turnstiles. One was closed, one was for cash and cards, one for cards…and one for all those who already had their tickets (which was everyone, by the looks of it). Getting there early, I thought I’d treat myself to a pint in the clubhouse too. There were two bar staff and two ridiculously long queues. Covid staff absences, or just poorly run? I decied I’d rather not wait 15 minutes for a pint of Staropramen (the best of a sorry choice). As I exited, I heard another fan behind me, ‘Sh*t service that, like.’
Still, it was a derby, and as I said, Spennymoor are ambitious, aiming for another promotion to go with the 3 they’ve already had in recent years. Well, the owner is ambitious, anyway. The reality is 219 away fans, on New Year’s Day, away at a club 15 miles away. Pathetic, and I can’t say the chant of ‘Your support is f***ing s***’ from the home end wasn’t fully deserved. Even standing in single file at the fence at the far end, there were gaps.
Another cause for conflict was the number of ex-Darlo in Spenny’s squad, 6, including Stephen Thompson, scorer of over 100 Darlo goals and bona fide club legend. So he got a chorus of ‘You’re just a money grabbing b******’ from a choice few, inbetween applause from others. I don’t know why folk are bothered – he’s been completely ineffectual in the 3 games I’ve seen Spenny this season.
Another player ‘enjoying’ a more clearcut hate-hate relationship with the Darlo fanbase was Spenny centre half Curtis, who the Quakers felt had their man sent off in last week’s episode by making a meal of a tussle. He appeared at it again too, though being one of the biggest, strongest, players on the pitch afforded him scant pity from the ref. In the end, it was another one-all draw, same scorers as last week, star centre forwards Taylor of Spenny and Charman of the homesters. Taylor opened the scoring with a back post volley from a corner – criminal defending – while Charman equalised a couple of minutes later by cutting in from the right and unleashing a 25 yard bobbler into the keeper’s left corner. Honours even again by half-time, and if they’d have told me what a non-event the second half would be, I’d have left then. Though Thompson did manage to miss a great chance, controlling the ball and striking it too close to the keeper when he ought to have done better.
I was just left to ponder having seen one of the Busby Babes in Darlo’s net. He’s not the Tommy Taylor, surely?
The Damage:
£14 ent (or 40% more than the corresponding fixture last week)
£2.50 programme
= £16.50
The Tunes:
New Long Leg (Dry Cleaning)
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