Northern League

Division 1

Division 2

2003-2004

Week ending 15/05/2004

Tow Law have appointed Geoff Young and Brian Fowler as joint-managers on a permanent basis. The pair took over when Steve Smith left the club in March, and guided Lawyers to safety from relegation with four wins and a draw from their last seven matches.

Easington are looking for a new manager after they parted company with Peter Gresham earlier in the week.

Murton chairman, Tommy Torrence, is campaigning to save his club from relegation. Murton's ground failed an inspection by the League Management Committee. The League will recommend to clubs at the AGM in June, that Murton should be relegated. This would save Easington from being relegated.

Week ending 08/05/2004

With the season all but over, there were only three games left to play, but each had a significance on some of the seasons big decisions.

The Bank Holiday Monday saw the final of the League Cup, and it was a mouth-watering prospect of the top two teams in the League pitched against each other. Dunston Fed had just celebrated their first ever Northern League championship and now they were hoping to add the League Cup, which they have won a number of times in recent seasons.

A big crowd turned up at Hillheads, the home of Whitley Bay, on a bright and breezy morning. Few were confident enough to say who would win it, and in the end the game was a very tight affair. It was City who drew first blood when Lake opened the scoring five minutes before the interval. Although the game was entertaining, there were few chances created in the majority of the game, with City holding Fed at bay. However, they had no answer to Southern’s rocket of a shot to level the game. City were then reduced to 10 men as Jamie Howe was red carded, but still the game could have gone either way. As the game wore on, Fed looked the more dangerous, and could have won the tie in the last couple of minutes of normal time.

However, neither side could score, so with them locked at 1-1, extra time was needed, and the dreaded golden goal. The winner came from Fed’s Southern, scoring his second goal of the game, with the sort of effort that many higher standard players can only dream about. Fed’s assistant manager described it as a fluke, but the shot from approximately 30 yards out, close to the touchline, caught the City keeper off his line, and the swirling wind curled the ball into the top corner of the net. A goal worthy of winning any game, although such was the contest it was tough on either side to lose.

It was a disappointing end of season for Durham, who at one time looked as though they were the more likelier team to win the League, but had to settle for the runners up spot to Fed in both competitions. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is their name in the frame next season.

Tuesday night, and the action moved on to Prudhoe Town, for the final of the Craven Cup, between Ashington and Newcastle Blue Star. This too was predicted as a very close affair, as Ashington had just sealed their return to Division One, and were the current holders of the Craven Cup, which is the knockout competition for Division Two teams. Newcastle Blue Star’s season had got better as the season progressed, and although they had missed out on promotion this time, they are strong contenders for next time. They are also the only team to perform a league “double” over Ashington this season, so it promised to be tight game.

After a goalless first half, Lee Ludlow opened the scoring for Blue Star midway through the second period. Ashington had chances at the start of the game, but both goalkeepers were on top form. As the game drew to it’s closing stages, it was beginning to look as though Ludlow’s strike was going to be enough. In fact Northern League officials had just finished tying the blue ribbons onto the trophy ready for the presentation, when in the dying seconds, Ashington’s, Marc Nash, powered a shot past Bennett and into the net. Off came the ribbons! This competition too has the golden goal rule for extra time, and both sides played like they didn’t want to go to penalties, as chances at both ends went begging. After two hours of football, it was still 1-1, and the game had to be settled by penalties. Each took their statutory five, and still there was no daylight between them. The game was eventually settled in Blue Star’s favour, winning the penalty shoot-out 6-5.

That left just one game to play, and this was the replayed Division Two match between Washington Nissan and Ashington. The original tie ended 3-1 in Nissan’s favour, but it was later discovered that they had fielded a suspended player. They were deducted three points, and Ashington elected to have the game replayed. The significance of the game was that if Ashington gained a point, they would win the Division Two title.

Any thoughts that Nissan, who have no interest as far as promotion issues for themselves are concerned, would approach this game in a less than professional manner were quickly dispelled. Nissan fielded a very strong team and opened the game as the team most likely to score. The first half ended goalless, and conditions were getting trickier by the minute, as the game was being played in a downpour. A point would have been enough for Ashington to claim the title, but the deadlock was broken soon after the restart, as Nixon opened the scoring for the visitors. Still Nissan fought to get back into the game, but it was Ashington who scored the game’s second and final goal close to the end of the game.

A rather soggy presentation was made of the Second Division championship trophy, but I’m sure it didn’t matter one bit to the team and their supporters. Newcastle Benfield Saints, who would have won the title if Ashington had failed to collect a point from this game, now go up as runners up, and they only just missed out on being the first team to win the Division Two title in their debut season following promotion from our feeder leagues.

A dramatic end to a remarkable season. We’ll take a breather, and be back ready for the new season in August.

League Division One Champions: Dunston Fed.

Runners Up: Durham City

Relegated: Washington, Marske United, Penrith

Division Two Champions: Ashington

Promoted: Newcastle Benfield Saints, Consett

Relegated: Murton, Shotton Comrades

League Cup Winners: Dunston Fed.

Finalists: Durham City

Craven Cup Winners: Newcastle Blue Star

Finalists: Ashington

Firefighters were called out to Hebburn Town's football ground early on the 2nd May. Half of the stand was destroyed by fire and the remainder of it may have to be demolished. Club official Alan Armstrong said they have had trouble in the past from vandalism. "The ground in general has been the target of just a few vandals. We have had trouble consistently over the last few years. And despite the best efforts of the police and the local community, it appears that we just can't keep them out."