Steve B the Groundhopper

7pm 16 May  2025 Northumberland FA, Benevolent Bowl Final at St Peter's Hub, Wallsend AFC Burradon and New Fordley 1 AFC Newbiggin 3 (att 270) St Peter's Hub in Wallsend was only opened a few weeks ago, as a headquarters for the Northumberland Football Association and a venue for at least some of its cup finals. It's built on what were basic playing fields, and is a good facility. I'm sure the immaculate artificial pitch is great to play on, but for spectators it's a slightly underwhelming stage for such matches. There are are couple of small seated stands, although dugouts and other spectators mean the view from them is inevitably restricted. Designated spectator areas run the length of both touchlines, although in places sections of high fencing get in the way. Traffic from the adjacent A1058 Coast Road provides a constant audible backdrop. But, despite all that, this was a well-organised event and the Northern Alliance's top two sides provided a enjoyable gam...

7.30pm 20 December 2024 Northern Alliance, Premier Division AFC Newbiggin 5 Cramlington United 4 (att 85) I occasionally question my sanity when groundhopping. Driving to Northumberland, and then standing in a freezing cold wind waiting for a Northern Alliance game to begin was one of those occasions. But I have a warm winter coat, I was staying in a hotel just a short drive away, and I was about to witness the most remarkable 90 minutes I've seen in a long time. I don't keep detailed enough records to know if I've ever previously seen a team come back from being 4-0 down to win, but I definitely have now. Newbiggin's defensive frailities were exposed early on by Cramlington, who scored three times in the opening 15 minutes. They'd added a fourth by the half-hour. If the home side had any consolation it was that the fourth goal came after they'd had a decent spell, and that they'd be playing with the wind more behind them in the second half. And by the time ...