2pm 21 December 2024
Northern Alliance, Premier Division
Newcastle East End 2 AFC Burradon and New Fordley 3 (att 28)
I'd been undecided where to go for a Saturday afternoon game, but my mind was made up with news that Stobswood Welfare's home fixture had been postponed.
That left this game as the only new ground in the Northern Alliance top division, and with the relative safety of an artificial pitch. But when I arrived the referee was concluding a 'pitch' inspection due to concerns about the strength of the wind.
Thankfully the match went ahead. The conditions were undoubtedly a significant factor, but I've seen games in much worse weather. And at least it stayed mostly dry.
AFC Burradon and New Fordley are unbeaten league leaders. They kept that record intact, but were given a tough test by Newcastle East End.
The home side went ahead in the first minute. Burradon and New Fordley hit the crossbar and the post before finally equalising, deservedly, before half time.
Two goals in quick succession, with around an hour played, set the away team up for a win. But a second East End goal, with 20 minutes left, meant they couldn't rest easy on their lead.
The visitors endured a few scares, despite continuing to look the better side, but held on to win.
Like the day's earlier game, this was another return to tick a new pitch at a previously visited venue.
Newcastle East End play at Northumbria University's Coach Lane sports ground. Back in pre-blog 2007 I saw Team Northumbria play a Northern League game at Coach Lane. What was then a grass pitch is now artificial, called 'pitch three' and equipped for rugby as well as football.
East End use 'pitch one' ('pitch two' is primarily for hockey) which is a basic caged and floodlit 3G pitch. Surprisingly there's no specific area for spectators, but those watching are allowed to stand inside the fence.
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