From The Main:
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Purvis Park for this afternoon’s Pin Point Recruitment Northern Alliance Premier Division game against our old friends from Carlisle, Harraby Catholic Club. I’d like to extend a special welcome to all the players, supporters and officials associated with our Cumbrian visitors, knowing full well that win, lose or draw, our pal Mike Little will be giving the John Smiths in the Cricket Club the benefit of his connoisseur’s palate. There is no doubt that if the game had been played on its scheduled date, back on December 17th, we would have had several extra guests at our club Christmas do at the Tap & Spile, as our esteemed Cumbrian visitors know how to drink a sup.
Last week, we played our third successive home game and after back to back wins, 3-1 over Blyth Town on January 7th and 2-1 over Murton a fortnight ago, it was something of a disappointment not to take maximum points against Rutherford, especially as we’d come out on top in our previous six encounters with the Lobley Hill based club. That said, it was crucial we didn’t lose, so a 1-1 draw represents solid progress; it keeps us in 11 points, 10 points above the relegation spots with 10 games to go. Complacency, as ever, is the enemy, so I’ll take nothing for granted and hope the boys can do the business on the pitch against a visiting side who’ll be smarting from a 4-2 defeat at Hebburn Reyrolle last time out.
Harraby are a class side and have twice beaten us over in Cumbria this term; 1-0 in the Challenge Cup in November and 3-0 in the League encounter in early December. However, hope must spring eternal and we can take solace from the fact that the Main have avoided defeat in our last 2 home games against Harraby. In August 2009, we won a pre-season friendly 2-1 with goals by Joe Betts and Liam Knox (while a certain Mr Little sunbathed with a few pints while, concentrating on the sound of leather on willow next door). In October 2010, we drew 0-0 in a simply superb game of football that was a credit to both sides. Let’s hope for more of the same today!
After today, Percy Main are on their travels for the next three weeks at least. Next week, we face Murton away, where we lost 2-1 on Easter Monday 2011. On February 18th, we face a daunting trip to Amberley Park against Killingworth Sporting and the month ends with a rapid rematch with Rutherford at their Beggarswood ground. All games kick off at 2pm, providing the weather doesn’t interfere. You can keep in touch with club developments by checking our website; all our cyber activity can be found at www.percymainafc.co.uk with the site being added to and developed all the time. Peter Bainbridge is doing a sterling job to upload videos of Pierre Luc Coiffait practising his gargantuan throws, while Geoff is publishing Tim Grimshaw’s action shots of the game quicker than The Pink used to hit the streets!
The website also gives details of the big fund raising innovation for 2012 is the NEW Percy Main Bingo Lottery, which is being overseen by Geoff. It’s very easy to get involved; just pick 6 numbers between 1 and 49, then choose how many weeks you wish to participate, cost of £1 per week for each set of 6 numbers, then see Geoff to pay your stake and get a lottery ticket in return, or email him at geoff@cinix.co.uk
Enjoy the game!!
Around The Grounds:
The participants in the semi-finals of the George Dobbins League Cup are now known. It had already emerged that Whitley Bay A would host Seaton Delaval Amateurs in one tie, while the two remaining quarter finals were played last Saturday. In the first of these, form and status held sway as Ashington Colliers prevailed over first division Heddon by the clear margin of 5-1, though the other threw up something of a surprise, as Wallington travelled to Premier Division Stocksfield and won 3-1 after extra time. The two victors will meet at Hirst Welfare for a place in the final on the 25th.
While there was an abbreviated programme in the Premier Division last Saturday, the floodlights at Hillheads had been used to good effect the Wednesday previous, allowing Whitley Bay A to take on Ponteland United and the home side were run close, though they still emerged 3-2 victors, leaving champions Ponteland still in the bottom 2 with 10 games remaining. The only side below them are Murton, who lost 3-2 at Blyth Town, who put recent poor form behind them to move up to 9th spot. Apart from our 1-1 draw with Rutherford, that left both teams unmoved in 11th and 14th places respectively, the only other game to take place saw Hebburn Reyrolle earn an eye-catching 4-2 home win over previously on-form Harraby Catholic Club, our visitors today of course, with the result that Hebburn stand 8th and Harraby 4th.
Division 1 saw 4 games played; with leaders Amble United inactive, second-top Wallsend Town cut the gap to 7 points, with a 3-2 win at Cramlington Town, who have recently signed Mickey Haley and remained becalmed in 6th spot. Gosforth Bohemians stay 5th, after missing out on the chance to move above otherwise occupied Wallington and Heddon, when they were held 2-2 at Benson Park by bottom of the league Forest Hall. The 4 sides above Forest Hall remain exactly where they were after playing out a brace of 1-1 draws; second bottom Chemfica held 7th place Cullercoats, while 9th cancelled out 8th as Morpeth Sporting matched Newcastle University. One thing that will soon come in to play in this division is the number of games remaining; with only 11 teams involved, time will start to run out for those at the bottom if they don’t put a run together soon.
There were 5 games in Division 2; Red House Farm march on 16 points clear at the top after a 4-2 win at New Fordley who are 9th. The two immediately behind the Gosforth outfit continue to wobble, both losing at home. Wallsend Boys club stay 2nd, despite succumbing 3-2 to 4th bottom Swalwell, while Harton & Westoe are 3rd, after a 3-1 reverse to 11th placed visitors Whickham Lang Jacks. Elsewhere, in the old Great North Road derby at Lockey Park, 14th placed Seaton Burn are to be commended for holding 6th top hosts Wideopen to a 2-2 draw, while Willington Quay Saints drop to 2nd bottom after a 2-0 home loss to Alston, who move up to 7th.
In the Northern League Division 1, Benfield had a day off to lick their wounds after their game at Tow Law was called off, while Whitley Bay squeaked home 2-1 over Penrith with a 90th minute Paul Chow winner. In Division 2, leaders Team Northumbria’s home game with Easington Colliery went to form and more, with the students winning 14-0 at Coach Lane. However, it appears Easington will resign from the league with immediate effect, causing a recalculation of the table. At present TN are 12 points clear. Behind them, West Allotment move back up to 4th, after a hard-fought 3-2 win over Alnwick Town, while North Shields dropped to 5th after losing 2-1 away at Washington. In the Conference, Gateshead unbelievably lost 3-2 at home to Newport County after being 2-1 up entering injury time and Blyth Spartans trip to Droylesden was postponed for a waterlogged pitch.
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