Unpublished 5: Around the Grounds 12/01/12

Percy Main versus Heaton Stannington; heavy rain on Thursday and then again overnight Friday to Saturday put this one off.

December 2012 saw a single Northern Alliance Premier Division game played, when we lost 2-0 at home to Walker Central. However, the New Year brought some respite after a month of incessant rain, meaning last Saturday saw a much healthier looking set of results. In particular, our thrilling 4-3 success away to Stocksfield saw the Main move up to 6^th place from 13^th, as a result of those hard-fought three points. Elsewhere in the Premier Division, ninth placed Seaton Delaval Amateurs deserve great praise for holding leaders Amble 3-3 at Wheatridge Park, while Carlisle City consolidated third place with a 5-1 thumping of 13^th placed Killingworth Sporting at the Sheepmount.  Blyth Town are fourth and remain unbeaten; their latest success being a 4-1 away win at Walker Central, who lie 12^th. The other game saw Shankhouse move off the foot of the table and out of the relegation places, with solid 3-0 home win over tenth top Wallsend Town. Today’s opponents, second top Heaton Stannington knocked second bottom Hebburn Reyrolle out of the George Donnins League Cup, to advance to the semi-finals.

Division 1 saw a trio of away wins; pride of place goes to Wallington, who moved to the summit and in the process overtook hosts Cramlington Town who drop to third, after a 3-1 score line. Second top Bedlington Terriers Reserves surprisingly went down 4-1 to tenth placed Ponteland United and 6^th top Heddon lost 3-0 to Redheugh 1957 who are now 8^th. There were mixed fortunes in the various cup competitions, with Forest Hall defeating Division 2 North Shields Athletic 3-2 in the third round of the Northumberland FA Minor Cup, while in the fourth round of the same competition, Hexham beat Chemfica 2-1 in one all Division 1 tie, while Red House Farm accounted for Newcastle University by a 2-0 margin in another. Cullercoats were also successful, winning 5-3 away to Newcastle Medicals on the 4G astroturf at Complete Soccer in Gosforth Park.

With the top 3 inactive, Longbenton moved up to fourth with a comprehensive 4-0 home win over second bottom Swalwell. Cramlington United are bottom and tumbled to a 6-1 home loss to Blyth Isabella, who are now in seventh place. The final league fixture saw Alnwick Town Reserves in 8^th spot defeat fifth top Wideopen 2-1. Another Division 2 side in Minor Cup action were New Fordley, who triumphed 4-3 away to Cullercoats Reserves, while Grainger Park Boys Club defeated Alston 3-2 in the first round of the Bill Gardner Trophy.

In the Northern League Whitley Bay’s trip to Marske fell afoul of the weather, as did Gateshead’s Conference home tie against  Nuneaton Borough, while Team Northumbria took a point from an entertaining 3-3 draw away to Celtic Nation at Gillford Park. Newcastle Benfield’s relegation worries were increased by a 2-1 loss away to fellow strugglers Billingham Town. In Division 2, North Shields started the year in encouraging fashion with a thumping 6-0 win away to struggling Thornaby, while West Allotment Celtic moved their game against Alnwick Town back to the Friday night. They were rewarded with a 2-0 win, but not with a bumper gate, as only 142 were in attendance. Curiously this was the same number as had taken in the cracking Dunston v West Auckland game that ended 5-2 to the home side, which took place while Newcastle United were losing at home to Everton.  Is there a lesson in this? Only the depressing one that whenever games take place, people seem reluctant to come out and watch grassroots football, sadly.

Keep the faith…..