East Enders Christmas Special

 I've been back to Benfield for the first time in 5 years, and it was a wonderful experience -:

I know the summer was lousy, costing us well over a third of our cricket fixtures because of the amount of rain, but the football season hasn’t been too bad in comparison, thus far. Other than a couple of storms at the end of November and early in December, that caused the cancellation of fixtures away to Ponteland and at home to Shields Athletic respectively, Percy Main Amateurs haven’t been hit too badly. In fact, we’ve played 17 league games of the 30 required which, allied to our traditional disinclination to participate in cup competitions beyond the opening round, means we’re on schedule to finish our season around the time the clocks go forward, if the Good Lord’s willing and the Coble Dene don’t rise. Presumably, as well as the complete shutdown scheduled for 28th December, this is why the Alliance also gave us Saturday 21st December off.

Thankfully, there were plenty of other games scheduled for that day to keep me out of mischief. In fact, I could have grabbed myself a tick by visiting Darlington Town in the Northern League Second Division, for their 2-2 draw with sunderland West End, although the fact kick off was moved to 1.30, reason unknown, did make the idea of travelling down there a theoretical rather than practical one. In the Alliance, both Ovingham, 4-0 winners over Wideopen Reserves and Wrekenton Blue Star, who lost 3-1 to Prudhoe Youth Club Seniors Reserves, were at home with 2pm kick offs. The big problem for me with either of those was getting across the river. While the latter two grounds are both served by regular Go North East services, the intense bottleneck caused by the closure of the A167 flyover and the related cancellation of all Metro services from the south, augmented by insane levels of shoppers on account of it being the last Saturday before Christmas, meant I had to pick something reasonably easy to get to. After dismissing thoughts of Blyth Town v Shildon in Northern League Division 1 on account of it being a bit glamorous for my tastes, I settled on the competitive sounding contest between Newcastle East End and Burradon & New Fordley in the Alliance top division.

I’ve a lot of time for both clubs; East End have reached where they are by a whole load of hard graft taking them up from the Tyneside Amateur League and Fordley are probably the favourites in the title race in the Alliance Premier. Additionally, I’d not seen East End since they moved to Coach Lane from Walker College. I thought, wrongly as it turns out, they’d be using what was Team Northumbria’s old pitch, but they were actually on the 4G pitch that Newcastle Independent have recently vacated for their bizarre move to Kingston Park rugby ground. After Stagecoach failed to send a number 1 in a timeous fashion, I only entered the ground as play got underway. From my angle, it seemed as if East End took the lead with 5 seconds of the start of play, but it actually transpired that it was 2 minutes into the game, and I’d actually been late. Mea culpa for that. In my defence, I subsequently never took my eyes off proceedings, other than to check out NUFC goals at Ipswich and Hibs beating Ross County at the Leith San Siro.

What I saw, despite a blustery north to south wind, blowing from one end of the pitch to the other, was a good, tight, competitive contest that Fordley edged 3-2, probably fairly on the balance of play, though the result was in the balance right until the final whistle. It’s always good to see a former student doing well. Trae Rowlandson seems to have really settled down at Burradon and appears to be enjoying his football. He slammed in a quality equaliser, via a slight deflection, and basically tormented East End’s left flank all game. Well done to him. Well done to everyone else for a top quality contest. I’m even prepared to congratulate Go North East for dropping me home in time to see the last knockings of Newcastle’s evisceration of Ipswich.

Boxing Day is one of the red letter days in the football calendar, but over the past few years I’ve not seen many games on this date. Partly because of the weather and partly because of the Alliance’s annual Saturnalian cessation. This year, I was determined to haul myself out my pit to take in Benfield versus Blue Star at Sam Smith’s Park. It would be my first time back at the ground in 5 years, since before COVID-19 in fact. That feels such a long time ago. Almost a lifetime in fact. Sadly, many of those involved in the club back then, such as the wonderful Johnny Innes and Dave Robson, are no longer with us. What I must say is that both the Chair, Craig Bell and the Secretary, my dear friend Gary Thompson, have been urging me since the end of last season to get myself back along to the ground and see how the Lions are progressing.

Heading down Benfield Road and along Chesterwood, I must admit to a level of nervous anticipation as the turnstile approached. However, I paid in, quickly spotted Gary and took my place on the terracing behind the goal, for the visit of Newcastle Blue Star and their charming, unintentionally amusing Ultras. Over the past few seasons, I’ve been to plenty of Benfield away games, but to be back in the home ground of my still beloved Northern League side, who I followed devotedly from their accession to the Northern League in 2003, was a joy and an honour. The place has been improved immeasurably and it is a real credit to the club and the league as a whole. 

It was particularly touching to welcomed back by so many people I’d not seen in so long, from Big Mark to David Robson and Syd Phelan, as well as Craig and Gary of course. I felt immediately among friends and people I deeply respect. And I tell you what, the team aren’t bad these days either, deservedly taking all three points with a clever, deceptive free kick from captain Andre Bennett. Massive credit also goes out to keeper Thomas Shanley, once of Burradon of course, who appeared to be the first credible replacement between the sticks for the godlike genius of Andrew Grainger, who at the age of 42, may not return from his latest injury. One goal was enough, and I celebrated lustily with everyone around me at full time. It felt so special, and I was so honoured to be there.

Indeed, things got even better for Benfield on Saturday 28 December, when they saw off the title challenge of Redcar Athletic, beating them 2-1. Unfortunately, I’d opted to go to Whitley Bay 2 West Auckland 1 instead, which was a largely sterile affair, made amusing by Bay’s 94th minute winner from a free kick where the wall crumbled like a concrete flyover next to the Felling By-Pass.