The Securicorp Stadium, Moore Lane Sports Club, home of Newton Aycliffe FC based in County Durham and play their trade in Step 5 of the Non League Pyramid in the Northern Football League Division One. Nicknamed the “Newtonians” as that I imagine is the name of the residents of this town.
It’s a league and part of the country that I haven’t seen enough of yet and it’s another Friday night under the lights as Newton Aycliffe face Heaton Stannington. My first and only visit to the Northern League being that day at Horden Community Welfare. I certainly will be back up north again after tonight!
Work is done for the week and off I go up the M1 and onto the A1 and into the Sports Club car park… Which is full and the roads look all parked up… I’ll squeeze it into this car park just over the road from the Sports Club and off I go. Kick off draws ever nearer but we should all get in just in time for the start… The card machine is broken… Well that’s just great!
I knew that I would get punished for this one day and here it is… So it’s a run to the nearby shops. It’s in and out and it’s about 10 minutes into the game and… Was that a cheer? Oh dear! The groundhopping police are going to love this! 15 minutes into the game and it’s £7 for this game! Serves me right! It is the home side Newton Aycliffe who have taken the lead here from a finish from a cross from the right hand side. 1-0 to Newton Aycliffe.
30 minutes in and nothing much has happened so far but Newton Aycliffe have a corner, it’s played short and Ethan Wood drives into the box and plays it across… It’s cleared for another corner, in it comes… Cleared but Newton Aycliffe get it back and play it out wide to the right, it’s played into the box, Dan Myers wins the header… It’s just over! The Referee blows for a foul in there for Heaton Stannington.
40th minute and Newton Aycliffe have another corner, it’s played short again and it’s crossed in… That’s going to be close… Callum Munro and Dan Stephenson go for it… They’ve collided with the post going for it and it falls for Eddie Thomas… OH HE’S MISSED… About 3 yards out and he’s scuffed it wide!
Into added time in the first half now and Heaton Stannington come forward, it’s played to Konner Lamb in the box on the left and he cuts inside, what is he going to do…?
There is your answer! He rolls it into the far corner!! Heaton Stannington are level! 1-1! That is the last action of the first half and a quick change in teamtalk for Newton Aycliffe.
Second half, 50th minute and Newton Aycliffe come forward, it’s played through to Liam Jarvie who’s in and has beaten the Offside trap, he shoots… Keeper saves but it’s squirmed through and Jarvie will get there again… And smash it home!! Newton Aycliffe regain the lead! 2-1! Heaton Stannington think he’s Offside but they aren’t getting it.
62 minutes now and Heaton Stannington have a corner, in it comes… It’s flicked on to the back post… And it’s turned in!!! Heaton Stannington are level again! Joe Shepherd was the right man in the right place to turn it home! 2-2!
4 minutes later and here come Newton Aycliffe again, it’s played to Marc Costello and he goes for goal from around 25 yards… OHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! IT’S A SCORCHER!!! HAVE THAT!! WHAT A STRIKE!! Over the keeper and into the roof of the net! Newton Aycliffe lead again! 3-2!
3 minutes later and here come Newton Aycliffe again, it’s played to Liam Adamson and he makes space to shoot from outside the box to the right… HE’S GONE FOR THE FAR CORNER AND FOUND IT!!!! IT’S ANOTHER WONDERFUL STRIKE!!! Newton Aycliffe double their lead for the first time in the game! It looped up and down and it finds the bottom corner with the keeper flat footed! Fantastic! 4-2!
81 minutes on the clock and Heaton come forward, it’s played to Leighton Hopper in the box on the left, he beats his man as he cuts inside and he shoots… And he’s found the net!! That’s a great finish! Heaton Stannington are not giving this one up yet! Two 4-3s in a row for me so far!!! 4-3!
Tensions growing between the two sets of fans here now… Oh non league! 83rd minute now and Newton Aycliffe break forward, it’s played out left and they get into the box, it’s played across for Ethan Wood to shoot… Straight at the keeper!
We’re into stoppage time and Heaton Stannington are pushing for the equaliser again now, can they get it? They have a free kick in the Newton Aycliffe half, it’s played into the box, it’s headed across towards Leighton Hopper… He hooks it straight at the keeper! Close!
Play goes on… Newton Aycliffe have it in midfield, it’s played through to Jack Clarkson who’s onside and he’s in, he gets into the box… AND SEALS THE POINTS FOR NEWTON AYCLIFFE!! Good finish! A cracker of a game here tonight! 5-3! Referee blows straight after the restart!
FT: Newton Aycliffe 5-3 Heaton Stannington
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 3/10 – A bit of noise in the ground from the spectators here tonight!
- The Ground: 5.5/10 – It’s not too shabby! Very spacious but the 2 stands make it for me. There isn’t too much else to shout about really other than they do have space to improve should they rise any higher up in the Pyramid but it is an alright setup.
- Expense: 10/10 – £7 to get in and £2 on food, was it worth it? Yes!! A 5-3 is always worth it!
- Overall Experience: 9/10 – I enjoyed it here tonight and I’m glad I visited! Must visit more Northern League grounds soon and more importantly… BRING CASH TO NON LEAGUE!
27.5/40