DODWORTH MINERS WELFARE FC (The Welfare Ground)

SHEFFIELD & HALLAMSHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, DODWORTH MINERS WELFARE 3-0 NORTH GAWBER COLLIERY, ATTENDANCE: 38 (h/c)

After a Friday night in Luton (watching Everton draw 1-1 with The Hatters) I headed across the Pennines to the village of Dodworth, which is approximately 2.5 miles from Barnsley.

This is a ground that has been on my radar since the covid lockdown restrictions forced groundhoppers like myself to look at grounds at step 7 and below. There are definitely some crackers at that level.

Dodworth is a former coal mining village and, like most of the old mining communities in these parts, the welfare ground boast excellent facilities, the football ground being no exception, boasting a large covered enclosure. After 135 years, mining ceased in October 1985, as part of the pit closure policy of the Thatcher government.

The game had something riding on it as the opponents, North Gawber Colliery, needed a win to help in their bid to avoid the drop but that always seemed unlikely as Dodworth dominated proceedings from the off. It was a comfortable victory for the homesters thanks to a hat-trick from Matthew Jacobs.

EASINGTON COLLIERY (Welfare Ground)

WEARSIDE LEAGUE SHIPOWNERS CHARITY CUP FINAL, EASINGTON COLLIERY 5-3 ASHBROOKE BELFORD HOUSE, ATTENDANCE: 250 (est)

When Chester City were drawn away at Easington Colliery in October 2000 instead of joining my mates for a day out in the North east, I declined the invitation to continue my mission to "do the 92" by heading to Adams Park to watch Wycombe Wanderers lose 2-1 to Bristol City. 

So today I travelled to the former mining village in County Durham, where scenes for the 2000 film Billy Elliott were shot, to right that wrong of 14 years ago.

Easington Colliery Welfare were originally formed in 1913 but disbanded in 1964. Easington's biggest day came in 1955 when 4,500 spectators packed the Welfare Ground to watch the Colliery lose 2-0 to Tranmere Rovers in the first round of the FA Cup, the only time that Easington have reached the first round proper.

The club were-formed in 1973 and in 1980 the Welfare amalgamated with Easington Rangers to form Easington Colliery AFC. In 1985, Easington were elected to the Northern League 2nd Division and won promotion at the first attempt, finishing runners-up spot behind Newcastle Blue Star. 

The club spent two decades in the Northern League before relegation but returned for one season in 2011/12. The club now play in the Wearside League, which is step 7 of the pyramid.

Today Easington were taking on Ashbrooke Belford House in the The Shipowners Charity Cup Final. This competition, one of three Wearside League cup competitions, was inaugurated in the 1898-99 season by Alderman Ralph B. Annison. The money raised from the competition went to the Boys' Orphanage in Sunderland, most of the boys in the Asylum being from the homes of lost seaman. 

The bank holiday crowd was larger than Easington's normal attendance and whilst queueing for ones half time cup of Bovril, the exasperated girl behind the counter was heard to ask "Where have all these people come from? She was certainly kept busy at the interval as the pies ran out!

The final itself was a superb game and a fantastic advert for this level of football.

Easington came out flying and were four goals to the good within 30 minutes. They could easily have doubled that advantage with efforts cleared off the line, a missed penalty and numerous other chances. Ashbrooke looked shell-shocked.

Ashbrooke then scored what every one assumed was a consolation goal but added another just before the half time whistle to give them a glimmer of hope.

Ashbrooke came out for the second half a revitalised team and had Easington pinned back for most of the 45 minutes. They grabbed a third goal and an equaliser seemed inevitable. Sadly, for them, the moment never arrived though they went very close and had an effort scooped of the line.

Easington were reduced to 10 men as Luke Page recieved a second yellow card. However as Ashbrooke pushed forward in the latter stages they got caught on the counter, resulting in another penalty and this time there was no coming back as Easington won the trophy for the first time since 1979.

Easington's decisive third penalty is slotted home
with only moments remaining to make it 5-3

Just for the record, the Easington Colliery goals were scored by Nick Doyle, David Laight, Farran Pope and Michael Pattison (2).

The Ashbrooke Belford House goals were scored by Nathan Burrell, Mark Green and Stephen Bogie.

Easington Colliery - Shipowners Charity Cup Winners 2014

ROSSINGTON MAIN (Welfare Ground, Oxford Street)

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROSSINGTON MAIN 3-3 PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES, ATTENDANCE: 48

For the second week in succession, my first choice of game bit the dust early doors, so it left me once again seeking an alternative. As a Twitter user ( @christopher7590 ) following various leagues, the much maligned (but not by me) social network came into it's own as various clubs posted that their games were ON.

One of the first I clocked to confirm that there were no problems with their pitch was Rossington Main. Choice made.

Rossington Main were founded in 1919 as Rossington Colliery and the club moved to Oxford Street in 1921, and this has been it's home ever since. The club were founding members of the Central Midlands League in 1983 before gaining promotion to the Northern Counties East League in 1991. They merged with local club Rossington FC in 1998.

The game against Pontefract Collieries, turned out to be a cracker, especially the final 10 minutes.

There were plenty of opportunities but a combination of poor decision making in the final third, along with some wayward finishing meant neither goalkeeper was really tested. The opening goal arrived on 28 minutes through Brandon Fallon, who slotted home from inside the area.

Pontefract began the second half strongly and equalised on the hour when Brenton Leister tapped home at the back stick. Rossington worked their way back into the game and were the stronger side so when, on 84 minutes, Richard Spears went through one-on-one and fired home, the majority of crowd assumed that would be the three points for Rossington. Wrong!

More or less from the re-start, Leister (85) burst through and chipped the 'keeper for his second goal to make it 2-2. Within moments it was 3-2 to Rossington as Fallon (87) notched his second goal of the game. Pontefract piled forward in desperate search of equaliser and in stoppage time Steve Tierney rose to head home and level things up. 

The action wasn't finished there either as both teams had a chance to nick a winner, but it wasn't to be. Great entertainment and full credit to both teams.