Chester-le-Street United 0-3 Easington Colliery, Wednesday 2nd August 2023

Chester-le-Street United 0-3 Easington Colliery, Northern League Division 2, Riverside Leisure Stadium, att. 116

It is the height of the British summer and after a July of rain…the beginning of August spells similar. It has rained all day here in my part of County Durham and 3 games in the Northern League have already succumbed. ‘Are you still going if it’s raining?’ I’m asked. ‘All the more reason!’ I bravely reply, though actually, there’s a lot to be said for standing on your own, outside, staring at the 10th tier of English football.

I’m keen tonite cos it’s a new ground. Indeed, history is due to be broken, as Chester-le-Street United, formed a mere 3 years ago, are due to play their first ever home game under floodlights at the home adjacent to Durham County’s cricket ground. It’s been a rapid rise, one season in the Wearside League and immediate promotion. Too rapid for their home, as due to not having floodlights, they played last season at the Ford Hub, home of Sunderland West End and my least favourite ground in the Northern League. I don’t know what any of this means to Northern League stalwarts Chester-le-Street Town, whose home is a mile or so out of town at Chester Moor. Have they been usurped? Will they survive? Is the town big enough for 2 clubs?

The Riverside Leisure Stadium is unlike any other in the Northern League. For a start, it has a running track around it. The Main ‘Stand’ as such is a pavilion, with some terracing underneath. However, the terracing is behind the running track and thus anyone wanting to stand crosses the track and leans against the barrier, which only goes around this side and the left hand goal. Consequently, fans aren’t allowed on 2 sides. The other side of the (left) far goal is one of the tinest stands I’ve ever seen. From this distance, I’d say it has 38 seats. It is virtually full, second half, as the the youth distance themselves from their elders. However, the pavilion dominates.

It is a grand structure, offering (upstairs) a large bar, as well as excellent views from the balcony (like at Darlington). However, a floodlight does impede the view slightly. I watch for half an hour from up here, go down to pitchside for 10 minutes…then scamper back when a deluge hits. I wasn’t the only one. I retreated back to where I’d been, standing next to what was obviously another groundhopper. This time though his mate was with him, and I enjoyed eavesdropping on their north-eastern non-league travels (north of the Tyne a speciality). Shildon was their Northern League ground of choice for atmosphere. I’d have gone Crook Town myself, or Seaham, or perhaps tonite’s visitors Easington Colliery.

I couldn’t decide if Easington were dapper dogs…or complete clarts this evening. What a strip. Pink and white stripes, with violet arms. Given the home side were playing in some shade of gold, I couldn’t work out how this clashed with Easington’s first choice strip of green and white stripes. Do they have one of those Premiership contracts insisting away shirts must be worn? At least they had enough players...the programme could only mention 10. Still, squads at this level are fluid to say the least.

The programme also stated Chester’s side could have a very different look to Saturday gone, most of their players having returned from a youth tournament* in Morocco. I bet it didn’t rain there. Given they arrived back 24 hours before tonite’s match, it would explain how they tired in the second half after a promising start in which they could have been 3 up, but definitely one, as the centre forward, clean through, crashed a shot against the keeper’s legs.

*Many of their players are part of the Park View Academy of Sport, basically studying ‘A’ levels or equivalent, while being coached in sports such as football, cricket, rugby, netball, athletics...I’d apply but I think my time playing football is up.

Second half, we are 25 minutes in and one of my groundhopper friends is speculating on the likelihood of a goalless draw and whether they’d thus have to come back. ‘No, I’m not that desperate’ says his mate. A minute later and Easington’s Callum Stanton curls one in with his left foot from 20 yards. Chester look spent and within 10 minutes it’s 3. A cross is deflected in (the goal being generously awarded to the crosser, Brad Forster) before Stanton absolutely belts in a 25 yarder for his second. Game over, United are shattered and Easington waste several breals to increase the scoreline. Then more groundhopper chat on the way out; a couple of old boys from Coventry have come up, a double-header including Newcastle Blue Star last nite. I’m not sure I’m at the level of driving to Coventry for a couple of games at the 10th tier of English football (yet).

The Damage:
£5 ent
free programme
= £5

Easington Colliery 3-1 Redcar Town, Friday 8th October 2021

Easington Colliery 3-1 Redcar Town, Northern League Division 2, Welfare Ground, att. 368

Friday night football comes to the Welfare Ground, Easington, as Colliery host Redcar Town in Northern League Division 2. A strange one, playing Friday night, but it seems Easington have offered the rest of the division this option and only Redcar Town have taken them up, despite them being one of Easington’s farther away opponents. What was the thinking? Local ‘giants’ Sunderland being home on Saturdays? Whatever, it was a boisterous turnout of 368, helped in part by a large proportion of kids, who enlivened procedures by constantly running around and making noise.

I like the Welfare Ground too. It’s a pleasurable walk, through an avenue of trees and past a memorial to a past mining disaster. Then when you get in, there’s a buzz few other Northern League grounds possess, as the vast majority of the crowd mill around a paddock in front of the social club. All chatter, and beer drinking, you feel like it’s a real community hub. The Friday gamble seems to have paid off too, with a larger than usual crowd. 6 of them are in the Main Stand, a 3 row affair with all the seats at the same level. Handy for putting one’s beer down to read the programme.

Opposite the paddock, and Main Stand, is a large grassed area handy for the kids to run around on and kick a football about should they wish. If this was daytime, I’d be able to see the North Sea from the paddock too, but obviously not tonight. To the right of the paddock is a small angled terrace at the right hand side of the goal, sadly fenced off, presumably as it’s falling apart. Shame, as it adds another bit of character. Behind the other goal, the fence is tight to the touchline, a small path just about allowing one to pass anyone on this side. This is where the youth would lurk this evening, boys and girls, just hanging out, not taking a blind bit of notice of the match. Behind the fence is another beautifully tended football pitch, where early on some of the younger spectators snuck out for a kickabout.

Tonight’s match is between Easington, challenging at the top for promotion, and a midtable Redcar, in their 1st ever season in the Northern League. Perhaps it’s their inexperience / naivety which has led them to agreeing to play on a Friday where others refused. Or a cunning ploy to ‘get well in’ with their new friends. Still, it was an entertaining contest as Colliery ran out comfortable 3-1 winners, despite playing over half an hour with 10 men after a harsh sending off. Meantime, the kids tried making fun of the keeper ‘Who are ya? Who are ya?’ then complained later about the industrial language used during the defensive set up of a corner, the rascals. ‘Oi! There’s kids here!’ Anyone who’s ever been to Easington will confirm the local children are not as precious as all that…

The Damage:
£5 ent
£1.50 programme
£2.50 Easington Colliery AFC lager (pint thereof!)
= £9

The Tunes:
BBC6 Music (Tom Ravenscroft)