As I Was Walking down the Newsham Road

 Blyth Rangers 3 Heddon United 1,,,

Blyth Rangers FC were formed in 2000, which makes them a dozen years older than the famous Glasgow side with the same suffix who have just registered the worst ever performance in the Champions’ League group stage. Even this ignominious “achievement” is beyond the modest horizons of Blyth Rangers, who are beginning their first season in the Northern Alliance Third Division. In the past, there have been a couple of teams with Isabella in their name who have used the facility Rangers are operating from. Indeed, their opponents Heddon, or teams from the same locale, have previously participated at all levels of the Alliance; most noticeably Heddon Institute. However, the current Heddon side no longer playing in their home village, opting instead to operate from Walbottle Campus sport complex, also how to Benwell and Walbottle Cricket Club where I took a lifetime best 4-16 (all bowled) a couple of seasons back. Just thought I’d mention that.

Unlike my last trip to a new Alliance ground on the bus, Go North East proved themselves to be miles better than Arriva, sending a 309 on time in each direction. From New York, I took the 12.50 to Blyth, alighting at the Broadway about half an hour later. Being honest, I’m not a fan of Blyth as a place, certainly the centre, but all I saw today, on the A193 coming into town, was the usual sporting highlights; Blyth rugby club, Blyth cricket club and then Croft Park, which was my cue to ring the bell. Heading up Princess Charlotte Avenue, I crossed over by the Sport Centre and took a tour down a cycle path, adorned with tremendously illiterate graffiti, before emerging on to the main drag opposite Isabella Pavilion.

Whatever reason Blyth have for using the Rangers suffix, it wasn’t an indication they’d be in the same sort of kit. Indeed, Heddon were in blue shirts, though Blyth opted for orange it should be noted. The pitch was huge and, in the first half at least, used in contrasting ways by the two sides. While Heddon played an intricate short passing game that was easy on the eye, but ultimately fruitless in terms of putting the opposition under pressure, Blyth sought to play in a more direct, fast paced way, though their attempts at forcing the issue were to come up short because of overexcitement before the final ball. Ironically, the closest to a goal in the opening half hour was a Heddon defender wildly miskicking an attempted clearance on the volley and hitting the outside of his own post from fully 25 yards. Then, out of nowhere, Heddon took a lead that they kept until the break when a shot from the edge of the area took a huge deflection, completely wrongfooting the keeper and dribbling apologetically over the line via the post.

At that point, neither side could really say they deserved the lead, but Blyth were resurgent in the second period. As the pitch cut up and legs became heavier, play became less composed from both sides, though Blyth’s all-action approach game them renewed hope. It was no surprise when they equalised from the spot after 65 minutes, though the heavy challenge on a player miles away from goal was totally unnecessary. From that point, Heddon were a beaten side; the spirit went out of them as wave after wave of Blyth pressure saw the Rangers turn the screw. Despite a pair of blinding saves from the Heddon keeper, a Blyth winner was inevitable. On 78 minutes it came after a swift exchange of passes and a thumping finish. Straight from the kick off, Blyth came forward again and made it 3-1 after a pinpoint cross was artfully touched home at the back post. In short, you couldn’t argue with the result on the balance of play after the interval.

After the whistle, I headed back for the 309, eschewing the potential pleasures of firstly the second period of Spartans v Telford (3-0) and then the closing stages of Whitley Bay v Thornaby (3-0), getting home to celebrate news of Percy Main’s wonderful 3-1 win away to Killingworth in the Benevolent Bowl.