northeastnonleaguegrounds.co.uk

31-08-26. Match 18. Last of the North-West grounds, Pitching in Northern Premier League West, Bower Fold, Stalybridge Celtic 0-4 Atherton Collieries (HT 0-2) COST: £10, PROGRAMME: £2.50, PIN BADGE: £3, ATT: 770, PARKING: Road, FOOD & DRINK: Chilli curry and rice and a pie £11, WEATHER: Showers, MILES: 24 from last game and 124 home, LAST VISIT: 1996, GROUND: As you enter they have new mens loo's to your Right and the clubhouse and food to your left. Next to the clubhouse is a seated stand and after that a small bar and toilets. Terracing goes around to the away cover behind the goal and around the other side where they have a dodgy scoreboard (maybe it didn't like the score)and another bar and toilets. Far side has a good seated stand and around to the near goal with another stand and the club shop and small bar. MATCH: Celtic settled in well and were unlucky when a shot hit the bar but stayed out. Then they had a mad couple of minutes and Atherton scored twice and Celtic looked lost. After half time the game settled down until the same thing happened and a lot of the crowd skittled off for a early bath.

Match 17. 31-08-26. Still in the North-West, West Lancashire League Premier, South Shore Street, Haslingden St Mary's 2-2 Lostock St Gerrards (HT 1-2) COST: £5, PROGRAMME: £2, PIN BADGE: yes, ATT: 315, PARKING: Road, FOOD & DRINK: Not hungry, WEATHER: Showers, MILES: 134 to ground, GROUND: A railed pitch with a dugout on each side of the halfway line. Clubhouse is as you enter with a few picnic benches and a bit of gravel around to the far halfway line. MATCH: Yeah I only watched about 25 mins of the first half then snook off to the badge tent for cover from a heavy shower. From what I seen second half it was a close match with a late St Mary's goal gabbing a point for them.

Match 16. 29-08-26. Still in the North-West, Northern Premier League, Irongate Stadium, Bamber Bridge 4-4 Hyde United (HT 2-2) COST: £10, PROGRAMME: £3, RAFFLE: £2, PIN BADGE: £4, PARKING: Road and it gets a bit clogged up by match time, ATT: 373, FOOD & DRINK: Burger and chips and a can of Coke £9, WEATHER: Overcast/dry, MILES: 30 from last match and 149 Home, GROUND: Between the A6 and a railway with another disused line to make it a triangle of land. Still it's better than Bedford terrace :) The turnstile feeds into a old looking stand that I remember well from my first visit in the late 90's. Clubhouse/toilets and snack bar are all to your Right and past that is the club shop. They had a coffee and a sweety van that also cost took my money before you reach some benches. Then you have the main stand (The Gerry Lawson stand) and then from the corner a stand that runs along behind the far goal with some fantastic flags in. Kev Walker Way is the name of the open side of the ground that has the dugouts on and a grass bank. MATCH: A bit mental as for the best part of half a hour Hyde were on top. First goal was a penalty and the second a sublime chip from inside Hyde's own half. Then it was Bridge's turn to turn on some style firstly turning in a great cross and then a bit of luck with a deflected free kick. The second half went the same way with two Hyde goals from set piece's and they looked safe. With five to go a stupid red card and penalty gave the Bridge a way back and they pressed. The pressure told well into stoppage time as they were awarded a penalty to level up 4 each, Hyde mugged themselves. NOTE: I have a rule that after 15 years a ground goes back on my list to visit and after 20 years it becomes a must do next chance. It's been 19 years since I last visited.

Today’s match Cestrians v Synners.

29-08-26. Match 15. West Lancashire League Division Two, Hornby Road, Caton United 1-5 Langho FC (HT 0-1) COST: £5, PROGRAMME: Free, PIN BADGE: £3.50, ATT: 241, PARKING: road, FOOD & DRINK: A can of Fanta, WEATHER: Overcast/Drizzle, MILES: 105 to the ground, GROUND: Enter the ground through the car park next to the pub. Straight ahead up the track is the clubhouse and all facilities. Pitch has a rail on three sides with the dugouts on the clubhouse side and the side of the ground near the houses just a rope. MATCH: A close enough first half but in the second half Langho ran riot and though both keepers made decent saves it was the quality up top that made the difference.

Match 14. 22-08-26. Macron Northern Counties East Division One, Haworth Park, LIV 2-0 Winterton Rangers (HT 0-0) COST: £6, PROGRAMME: no, PIN BADGE: no, ATT: 118, PARKING: Car park outside ground, FOOD & DRINK: Chips and a can of Pepsi £5, WEATHER: Sunny spells, MILES: 130 going via motorways and 101 back via York, GROUND: It's not changed since my last visit. You enter to the Right of the main building and the tea hatch and a small stand are to your Right. Past them to the toilets then the clubhouse is upstairs with a balcony. The main stand is on the half way line and dugouts on the far side that you cannot walk around to. MATCH: Poor and pretty even first half. In the second half LIV were better though that's all they could be and deserved the win with the clincher coming in stoppage time. LAST VISIT: Ground was 17-10-20 Hall Road Rangers with LIV being a earlier game at Dunswell Park the same day.

Match 13. 21-08-26. Wearside League Division One, Metcalfe Park, Wolviston 3-2 Wynyard Village (HT 2-2) COST: £4, PROGRAMME: no, PIN BADGE: £4, ATT: 87, PARKING: Overflow car park, FOOD & DRINK: Burger and a can of Coke £5, WEATHER: Sunny & dry, MILES: 28, GROUND: Looking great. As you enter the Snack shack and picnic benches are right in front of you. Further up that side is the players entrance and a stand on the half way line. Tree's on three sides and the Brian Jones stand on the far side with the dugouts. Clubhouse is on the cricket side of the fence with the toilets. MATCH: The Wolves look more than capable of doing well this season and went ahead early on. Wynyard also look to have a decent team and soon hit back twice, first from a corner and then a quick counter attack. A mad penalty box scramble had the scores level at half time but Wolvo missed a great chance to go ahead when they had a penalty saved. They would not be denied though and were the better team second half and won it when a cross was bundled home.

North west edition. Crossed over the hills again today for another tick and a revisit.

19-08-26. Match 12. Wearside League Premier, The Syd Varley groundworks stadium, Willington 1-3 Easington Lane (HT 1-1) COST: £4, PROGRAMME: no, PIN BADGE: £4, BLIND CARD: £2, ATT: 87, PARKING: Road, FOOD & DRINK: Burger & chips and a can of Coke £6.50, WEATHER: The showers stayed away, MILES: 38, LAST VISIT: 14-05-23, GROUND: Looks as good as it ever has been so great credit to the club and helpers, MATCH: It was like watching Arsenal highlights from last season. Corner - header - GOAL, 0-1, corner - header - GOAL 1-1, corner - header - GOAL 1-2 and ith Willo pushing for a late equalizer a quick counter and low shot wrapped it up. I enjoyed the game I wish more Wearside league matches were as good.

18-08-26. Match 11. Ebac Northern League Division One, The Arrowmark home improvements stadium, Birtley Town 2-3 Bishop Auckland (HT 2-1) COST: £7, PROGRAMME: no, PIN BADGE: £5, ATT: 302, PARKING: road, FOOD & DRINK: Snickers and a coffee £2.50, WEATHER: Cloudy/Dry, MILES: 38, LAST VISIT: 03-09-24, MATCH: Birtley scored with the first chance of the game when a cross was bundled in much to the grumbling from Bishy supporters around me. They would not have to wait long to be level though and from out wide a delicious cross was headed in. After a bit of a whinge one of Bishop's players was binned and Birtley got on top. The home team did score with the extra man and were worth the half time advantage. You knew Bishop's would have a good go second half but if Birtley had not wasted a great through ball and the shot hit the post I would of fancied them to win the game. It was now end to end and it was Bishy who scored next, a header from a corner and they went ahead from another good ball and cross and this time a Birtley player got binned for gobbing off. It was a good game and one where time seemed to fly by and it was all over to soon.