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Performance of the Week

Division 1

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Division 2

2002-2003

Week ending 07/06/2003

On Monday, Whitley Bay announced their new manager as John Charlton.  Assistant manager will be Graeme Clark, who worked alongside John at Blyth Spartans.  

Week ending 31/05/2003

Recent managerial appointments are:

• Easington, who have appointed Graeme Hedley.  He made his name as a Middlesbrough player before playing in the Northern League for Whitby, Blyth and Horden.
• Northallerton, who have appointed Paul Burton.  Paul, an ex Whitby Town captain, has been managing Teesside League side, Nunthorpe, for the last five seasons.

Week ending 17/05/2003

News of other managers leaving clubs - Andy Gowans from Whitley Bay, Gavin Liddle from Washington Nissan and Alan Oliver from West Auckland Town.

Crook Town have appointed Dennis Dolphin as their manager.  He was joint caretaker manager for the last few games.

Week ending 10/05/2003

This week, was very much the tying up of loose ends for the season, including three cup finals.

Monday started off with the League Cup Final, being held at Darlington’s Feethams ground.  The choice of venue had sparked quite a debate, but this was going to be the last chance that many supporters would get to visit the old ground before it is finally closed.  It certainly was an occasion and the club did the League proud.  The game also lived up to it’s prestigious surroundings, and proved to be an entertaining encounter.  Both teams had good reason to claim that it was their turn for success.  Shildon appeared in both the League Cup and Craven Cup Finals last season, and ended up empty handed.  Billingham Synthonia had been favourites to win this season’s Durham Challenge Cup, but were defeated by Horden C.W., and just two days previous, they saw their final league placing drop from third to fourth, their third place claimed by their neighbours, Billingham Town.  The sides had already met three times this season, Synners winning on all three occasions, but in a cup tie, that stands for little.

It was Synthonia who started the better of the two, and deservedly went ahead on the quarter hour.  Shildon gradually got back into the game and pulled level on the half hour. Synthonia could have claimed to be unlucky, as they had two efforts cleared off the line, before finally regaining the lead 15 minutes from full time.  It looked all over that the cup was going to Teesside, but in a dramatic last ditch attempt, Shildon equalised for the second time right at the death, to take the tie into extra time.  Both sides started cautiously, knowing that one slip up, and a Golden Goal could be scored.  Synners again went close, causing mild panic in the Shildon defence, but the goal that won the scored in the second half of extra time, a shot from Bolton hit the post and the ball reared up, where Bayles was on hand to head the ball home, and send the Cup to Shildon.  With both sides having suffered disappointment in recent times, it was unfortunate that one side had to lose, especially after providing the good-sized crowd with such an entertaining game.  I’m sure Synners will resolve to come back even stronger next term.

On the Tuesday, the action moved to Horden’s ground, where the final of the Craven Cup was staged.  Ashington would have been hoping to put behind them the disappointment of just missing out on promotion to Division One, were up against a resurgent Evenwood Town.  These two had also met three times this season, Ashington winning all three games, although their League Cup tie needed an extra time golden goal to be settled. This was also a repeat of the 1999 final, which Ashington won 1-0 with an extra time goal.

A large and vociferous crowd saw Ashington make all the early running on an excellent pitch, but despite all the pressure, and even hitting the post, the teams went into the interval with the game goalless.  Seven minutes into the second half, the deadlock was broken, and a free kick from the right was headed home by Ashington’s Hogg.  The Colliers sealed their win midway though the second half, with a breakaway goal, with a cross from Woodhouse, that found an unmarked Hogg to get his second goal.  Ashington withstood the Evenwood pressure to the end of the game, and win the cup.  This was familiar territory to Ashington’s Jeff Pogson and manager Tony Harrison, as they were both at Prudhoe Town, when they won the Craven Cup last season.

Also on Tuesday the final Northern League game was played, as Division Two champions Penrith ended their season with a 3-0 home win over Hebburn Town.

On Wednesday, the last action of the season happened for Northern League clubs, as Whitley Bay faced Newcastle United in the final of the Northumberland Senior Cup.  With Newcastle’s Premier League home campaign already completed, it had been decided to stage the match at St James Park, and they were rewarded with a crowd of over 1200. Whitley started very well and could have been in front in the second minute, when a mix up in the home defence saw a shot flash across the front of the Newcastle goal.  Two minutes later they had a penalty appeal turned down, which would have given them the reward their play deserved.

Overall, Bay played well, and they matched their illustrious opponents in most areas of the game, and the tie was goalless at the interval.  Soon after the restart, Newcastle took the lead, when substitute Walton shot in from a very tight angle.  Whitley tried to get back into the game, and had a number of chances, but the Newcastle defence was very quick and restricted their efforts, and keeper Bartlett was in commanding form.  The tie was sealed in Newcastle’s favour in injury time, when Walton got his second of the game, to win the tie 2-0.  A little unfortunate on Bay to concede a second goal so late on, but I think that even the most diehard Whitley Bay supporters would have few complaints with the result.

On Saturday, Newcastle Benfield Saints secured the Wade Associates Northern Alliance title, by winning 6-1 at Ponteland United.  This sees the Club promoted to the Albany Northern League.

Other news - Graeme Foster has left as manager at Tow Law Town, after almost 3 years at the club.  Warren Teasdale and Dean Gibb, both Bedlington players, have been named as the new managerial team at Newcastle Blue Star.

League Division One Champions: Brandon United

Runners Up: Bedlington Terriers

Relegated:  Prudhoe Town, Consett, Newcastle Blue Star

Division Two Champions: Penrith

Promoted: Horden C.W., Thornaby

Relegated: Eppleton C.W.

League Cup Winners: Shildon

Finalists: Billingham Synthonia

Craven Cup Winners: Ashington

Finalists: Evenwood Town

Week ending 03/05/2003

As the Northern League season enters it’s final ten days, there are still a number of issues to settle, mainly concerning Division Two clubs.

However, one matter was resolved on Monday night. We now know both finalists in the Craven Cup.  In the original semi final between Ashington and Seaham Red Star, the game had to be abandoned at half time when the floodlights failed. The match was goalless at the time, and looked as though it was going to need extra time and penalties to separate them.  There was no need for that this time, as Seaham opened the scoring in the opening minutes.  Ashington equalised before the interval. The game looked to be heading for extra time when Ashington scored twice more to win the tie 3-1, and set up a tie with Evenwood Town, which is a repeat of the 1999 Final which Ashington won 1-0 with a goal scored in extra time.

In the only other game on Monday night, a goal in either half saw Newcastle Blue Star draw 1-1 with Morpeth Town, Blue Star taking the lead in the first half.

Two games were played on Tuesday, both in Division Two.  Seaham Red Star, playing their second game in two days, maintained their promotion hopes by successfully overcoming former promotion hopefuls Easington Colliery, 2-0, both goals scored by Craig Lines.  In the other game, Craven Cup finalists Evenwood, scored the only goal of the game just before half time in their home game with Alnwick Town.

On Wednesday, the final prize-winning position was decided as Billingham Town won 2-1 away at Guisborough Town, to climb to third place, and demote neighbours Synthonia to fourth place.  Dunston Fed ended their season on a high note, winning 1-0 at Shildon, and Washington ended a very satisfying season with a 3-1 win over Morpeth Town.

In Division Two, Penrith are the first to claim a promotion place, after a bruising 3-2 win at Northallerton Town, and they now look odds on to be named champions.  Elsewhere, a dramatic ending at Ashington, where two goals were scored in the last minute saw the home side draw 2-2 with Thornaby.  The home side opened the scoring in the first half, with Thornaby replying in the second half.  The visitors scored an opportunistic goal in the final minute of the game to take the lead.  There was still time for a penalty to be awarded to Ashington, and they levelled with the last kick of the game.  The result means that Ashington drop out of the promotion race, leaving four clubs in contention.

Horden won their replayed fixture at Eppleton C.W. 2-0.  The original tie was a 3-3 draw, but the home side was found to have played ineligible players.  South Shields drew their final game of the season, 1-1 at home to Kennek Ryhope.

On Saturday, the Division One ties were completed, with the two remaining fixtures played.  Bedlington Terriers opened the scoring at Newcastle Blue Star, but the home side equalised in the second half.  Within two minutes of the score being levelled, Bedlington scored what was to prove to be the winner in a 2-1 win.  A goal in either half was enough to give Whitley Bay the points in a 2-0 win over Morpeth Town at Hillheads.

In Division Two, Penrith were crowned champions, but lost only their second league game of the season at Thornaby.  In a tight, nervy game of few chances, the only goal of the game came from the penalty spot.  The result was also to promote Thornaby after one season in Division Two.  The third promotion place was taken by Horden C.W. who got the necessary three points to confirm second position with a 2-0 win at home to Hebburn Town.  Both goals came in the last 15 minutes, and there were probably a few nervous supporters, as news probably got around that both Thornaby and Seaham Red Star were winning.

With Horden getting the three points they needed, Seaham Red Star were the club to miss out on the promotion race, despite winning 1-0 at Northallerton Town, the only goal of the game coming just before half time.  In the other game played on Saturday, Kennek Ryhope played a 1-1 draw at home to Norton.

Performance of the week: Thornaby (1-0 win over Penrith).