Durham United 4-2 Esh Winning, Sunday 6th April 2026

Durham United 4-2 Esh Winning, Northern League Division 2, The Graham Sports Centre (Maiden Castle), att. 382

It’s the final game of Easter Sunday’s Northern League groundhop and the one I’m most, and least, looking forward to. Most, in that of today’s games, it is the only venue I’ve not been to. Least, because it’s probably the most characterless, a ‘stand off a lorry’ beside a plastic pitch and home to Durham University’s hockey team for the best part. I have the wrong ground.

Durham University’s sports facilities must rank up there with the best in the land. One appeal of going to Durham (beyond it’s academic reputation) must be the access to such amazing sporting grounds within walking distance of the city centre (Durham City is very small, approximately 30,000 all-year residents.) Maiden Castle has such a strong reputation that when Keegan took over at Newcastle, he moved their training here, such was the dearth of their own facilities.

I’ve given a lift from Crook to another groundhopper who was doing all this by public transport. (He didn’t do Billingham this morning. Public transport? In County Durham? On a Sunday? Easter Sunday?) I enjoyed being able to get here by my own knowledge, at least once I ascertained which was the road out of Crook. My only worry was whether there’d be enough space in the car park, but there was plenty. But what’s this? There’s no sign of any movement inside the hockey stadium nearest the ground. I’m not worried, as I can see the groundhoppers’ bus, so I know I’m in the right place. I head towards the bus and we see signs pointing us around the corner, to the other side of the main building. Turns out there’s ANOTHER stadium as part of the complex.

Through a proper turnstile, we’re into the ground itself. There’s a running track and one beautiful looking modern cantilever stand down one side. Behind the stand is the main building and with an hour and a half to kill first, so we go inside. There’s a huge cafeteria/bar area, usually host to the students. We grab a beer and go and look at the merch, laid out on trestle tables. There lay the most exquisite souvenir of the entire weekend…a replica shirt commemorating today’s game! I enquire about it, but it seems you needed to order it in advance. It’s difficult to order something in advance that you don’t know about, but I admire it all the same.

Programme bought, and there’s a potted rundown of Durham United’s history. Seems the university merged/took over an existing team and moved them to Maiden Castle. I’d wondered why they didn’t use New Ferens Park, since Durham City (a former league team!) had been forced to move out. Now I know. The team is essentially Durham University FC. There’s brilliant pen portraits of the players. Only one isn’t a student at the university and we’re told what course and year each student (player) is on. Sports Science is by far the most common subject studied, though we also have ‘Natural Sciences’ (what’s that?), Law, Accounting and Finance, Maths, Engineering, Geography, Physics and PPE. But it does amuse me that the programme contains so many typos. Isn’t this one of the Russell Group? The cream of the country?

With kick-off looming, we go out. I’m not one for the stand, especially given it’s behind an athletics track. However, behind the goal, there is a perimeter fence, and many of the hopper elect to cross the track and stand here. But while crossing the track, I find myself chatting on and make the mistake of stopping. I’m told off by a volunteer for standing on the track. But you have to stand on the track to cross it! And, come to think, don’t athletes’ spikes do more damage than my trainers? I must be in a good mood, cos I merely acquiesce and stand by the corner flag. I fail to move from here.

I getting talking to a local. He works for the university but has come out for the game cos his wife’s told him he’s miserable around the house, and he does find his mood improves when he goes to a game. He’s also a font of knowledge. Apparently this is where the Russians trained during the 1966 World Cup, while the Italians trained across the road, at what is now (and was probably then) the Houghall Agricultural College. Fancy that.

I find the chat so invigorating that I never get round to doing a circumference of the ground. (If only I’d brought my spikes!) But inbetween yapping on, we are treated to the best game of the weekend, an entertaining 4-2 win against bottom side Esh Winning. Unfortunately, this means the latter are almost certainly down and the Northern League will lose another classic ground. Bloody students!

The Damage:
£6 ent
£2 prog
£5.90 pint and a half of Birra Murano
£2 prog
= £15.90

Brandon United 2-3 Esh Winning, Wednesday 7th February 2024

Brandon United 2-3 Esh Winning, Northern League Division 2, Welfare Park, att. 171

I’m in hospital for an operation tomorrow, so what better way to enjoy potentially my last day on planet Earth by taking in Brandon in the Northern League? It seems apt too, as Brandon have also just recovered from a near-death experience. This is their second game back following a two month hiatus, the Northern League giving them every chance to continue following administration.

However, their 40 year Northern League membership hangs by a thread. On a run of 12 consecutive defeats (87 conceded, 52 in the last 6), they’re 4 points adrift of not-quite-as-bereft Washington. However, with 7 points in 21, it’s difficult to see where they’ll get the wins necessary, which is a shame for a side who’ve won the Northern League as recently as 2003. The Wearside League beckons.

I like Welfare Park too. True, it’s only got one stand and it looks like a barn and the rest of the ground is open to the elements, but it’s on a hill and tonite you can see the twinkling lights of Durham City below. Daytime, you can see the cathedral, when the ball has been launched into the allotments behind the goal (a frequent occurrence). The ground is also only 15 minutes drive from my former house. Only Spennymoor lies closer.

It’s also derby nite tonite, Esh Winning. Perennial strugglers, they’re top half of table (just) despite a goal difference of minus 15. They’ve brought good support here tonite and the gate is an encouraging three figures. Such were numbers, I couldn’t get into the car park, so again, hopefully positive times ahead for Brandon.

That they found themselves two down at half-time was not unexpected, though the source might have been. It’s 20 years since I’ve seen a player score 2 direct free kicks in the same game, though the first, a daisy-cutter, owed more to a poor wall and goalkeeping. Given previous results, and despite a new manager, Brandon looked dead and buried. After spending most of the first half inbetween the dugouts, I walked around to the stand, and a welcome cuppa. It does get cold in Brandon.

Second half, game going nowhere, Brandon pull one back. Another free kick, and it’s the pick of the herd, a left footed curler into the top corner by Robbie Murray, a player of enough heft for rugby. Then, with 10 mins left, Murray shows some daintiness belying of his stature, before burying it from 20 yards. Esh look shellshocked, as am I. However, there is one last sting in the tail. 84 mins gone, there’s an injury. The player takes an age to be tended to, and I spy the toilet. Why wait till the game’s end when I can go now? You know the rest. I went, Esh scored. Bumping into my old history teacher Mr Sixsmith, it was another quality goal. Header off a corner and Arron Jackson’s hattrick. Brilliant. Just brilliant.

The Damage:
£5 ent
£1.50 tea
= £6.50

Esh Winning 0-4 Carlisle City, Thursday 28th April 2022

Esh Winning 0-4 Carlisle City, Northern League Division 2, West Terrace (Waterhouses), att. 92

FINALLY, in a fraught end to the season caused by fixture rearrangements (an ever-present danger at this level) I have completed all 41 Northern League grounds in the same season, and what a beautiful ground to end it all, Esh Winning’s Waterhouses, AKA the 'WindowsPlusRoofs Arena’. (It should also say ‘and old bus stands’ given the structures down one side of the pitch.) Yes, the scenic Deerness valley is the location for this late re-arrangement, and one advantage of its late season position is that the sun sets that little bit later, allowing a longer view of the surrounding hills and trees. And on the far bank, by the all-seater ‘stands’ that are a couple of sheds with the front removed, there is the sound of the lesser-spotted Thames Estuary groundhopper, as 3 surprisingly young blokes chat about their latest exploits, and staying in the nearby Durham City. Well done those lads.

Without another game on tonite, it’s perhaps also inevitable that I bump into my old History teacher again, for probably the 5th time this season. Standing with his mates, second half, by the bus shelters, conversation turned to completing all the grounds in one season. To their knowledge, November was the earliest it’s been done. These old timers mainly stick to the County Durham grounds, but to be fair to the Northern League, they’re the best ones…Esh, Tow Law, Crook, West Auckland…even Brandon at a push (well, I like Brandon).

Down what looks like a farm track, Waterhouses has a large field for a car park, ample enough for the crowds they get. Another late season bonus is I don’t have to worry about the car getting stuck in the mud. A walk round the ground to the main entrance, and into the ground under a propped cover attached to the clubhouse. A quirky main stand is adjacent to the left, a roof pointing upwards towards the sky, no use if the winds blowing this way. To the right, a small wooden cover and couple of steps of terracing, while the fence carries round behind the goal. Wooden barriers prevent you leaning against the fence (is it that unsturdy?) while a pitch roller lies beyond signs warning against bad language. Try telling the players.

The match itself is a procession, after early resistance from Esh. Carlisle are on their way to a late season run to the Championship, winning game after game in hand on long time leaders Heaton Stannington. I have to admit, by the end, I’d lost track of the score. It finished 4, it could have been twice as many. Well done Carlisle on mission completed and good luck next season in division 1. For Esh, fingers crossed their second off bottom spot doesn’t result in demotion. Waterhouses would be a sorry loss to the Northern League. **

** In the end, Esh were saved by the resignation of Ryhope CW from the Northern League (in the same season they’d won the Durham Challenge Cup; a unique double).

The Damage:
£5 ent
£1 tea
£0.50 Blue Riband
= £6.50

The Tunes:
The Voltarol Years (Half Man Half Biscuit)