🎄 ⚽️ BOXING DAY 2023 ⚽️ 🎅

May I start by wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas. Like most people, after the celebration and over indulgence of yesterday, I needed to blow the cobwebs off and what better than a Boxing Day 'double header' of football.

It was actually great to get in a couple of new grounds as it had been over a month since my last newbie, in South Wales, so it was early start for a trip up to the North East and an 11am kick off on Teeside...

NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

PHOENIX PARK, TRINITY COLLEGE 

BORO RANGERS 2-2 REDCAR ATHLETIC 

ATTENDANCE: 254

My Boxing Day double began with a very entertaining game at Phoenix Park where it was honours even in the 'A174 derby'. Middlesbrough based Boro Rangers were hosting near neighbours Redcar Athletic in the Northern League division one. 

This is Boro's debut season at this level, having won the division two title at the first attempt having gained promotion from the North Riding Football League. This was actually the sixth season in a row Boro Rangers had won a league title having won the Teeside League (2016 & 2017) and the North Riding League (2018, 2019 & 2022). Not bad for a club that only formed in 2003.

The club are based on the 3G pitch at Trinity Catholic College in Middlesbrough and, given the weather over the Christmas period, this was part of thinking as it was virtually guaranteed to be on.

After a fairly even opening period Redcar took the lead through Donny Holdsworth (35) but a penalty just after half time, converted by Danny Lofts (48) levelled things up. Redcar were then reduced to 10 men when Joe Ferguson (54) recieved a second yellow card but it was the 10-men re-took the lead when Lewis Riston (74) headed home. Lofts (81) then equalised for the second time, but despite late pressure from Boro a winner wasn't forthcoming. 

The draw was a fair result in my humble opinion.

From Phoenix Park it was then a 40 minute up the A19 to...

NORTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION TWO

BOLDON COLLIERY WELFARE 

BOLDON COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 3-3 JARROW

ATTENDANCE: 144

My Boxing Day double concluded with a trip to the  Boldon Colliery Welfare Ground. I had been next door many years ago to see the now defunct Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association but this was my first visit to this ground.

Formed in 1892 as Boldon Star, Boldon CA had been mainstays of the Wearside League for over 70 years before gaining promotion to the Northern League for the first time in their history in 2021, after an appeal to the FA after the season was curtailed due to the covid pandemic.

Boldon Villa was another previous name of club, hence the signage around the ground, and 'The Villa' is the clubs nickname. Legendary Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Sam Bartram was born in Jarrow and played for Boldon Villa in his youth.

Today I witnessed a superb 'South Tyneside derby' which ultimately finished honours even in the but that wasn't half the story!

Jarrow were in complete control of the game from the off and goals from Luke Hudson (14) Lutfur Karim (32 penalty) and a brilliant strike from Chris Brennan (36) put the visitors in a commanding position. It was them imperative that the homesters scored the next goal and that is what they did through Levi Collins (39). That lifeline was well and truly grabbed!

The second half saw a complete turnaround and it was Boldon who were the dominant force. Jude Harrison (70) headed home to make it 3-2 and with the clock ticking into stoppage time the homesters were awarded a penalty of their own, which was converted by Collins (90) to bring the score level at 3-3.

A tremendous match for the neutral and a great advert for the Northern League.

🎄🎅 MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR.  SEE YOU IN 2024! ☃️🎄

SUNDERLAND RCA (Meadow Park)

FA CUP 1st QUALIFYING ROUND, SUNDERLAND RCA 2-4 STOCKTON TOWN, ATTENDANCE: 324

There were plenty of choices on offer today but I could not resist the lure of an FA Cup tie. After much deliberation, I decided to head to the North East for the match up between Sunderland RCA (of the Northern League) and Stockton Town (recently promoted to the Northern Premier League).

Sunderland RCA are based in the Ryhope area of the city and their full name is Sunderland Ryhope Community Association. The club was founded in 1963 and competed in local league's until the mid 1970's when the club folded after entry to the Wearside League was refused, as there was already a team called Ryhope competing in it.

The club reformed in 1978 and joined the Northern Alliance before becoming founding members of the Northern League Division Two in 1982. At this point the club were now playing at their own ground, Meadow Park, which is currently known as Sunderland LGV Park for sponsorship purposes. The Sunderland prefix was added in 2006 when the club joined forces with Springboard Sunderland and in 2010 they were promoted to the Northern League Division One.

It was a wise decision to head here to today as I witnessed an absolutely brilliant FA Cup tie.

The home side were fastest out the blocks and had a couple of efforts blocked within the first minute and had a couple of good chances after that but, against the run of the early play, Stockton took the lead when Kevin Hayes (14) scored from a free kick (pictured left). The visitors controlled the play after this and were 2-0 up after 22 minute, a superb flowing move culminating in the ball been played out wide for Mikey Roberts to run onto and fire into the bottom corner of the net.

Stockton nearly made it three but a quick counter resulted in Sunderland's Michael Annang-Colquhoun scrambling home after 28 minutes. This clearly lifted the home side and on 36 minutes they were level, Simon Jakab heading home.

There were chances for both teams before the break, Sunderland coming the closest when Mark Davison hit the crossbar in stoppage time.

After such an open first half the second half was always going to be a little more cagier but it was Stockton who always seemed to have the slight edge. It wasn't until 20 minutes from time that they finally pulled away when Hayes scored his second, via a slight deflection of a defenders heel (pictured right) and then substitute Nathan Steel wrapped the tie up with six minutes to go. 

A fantastic advert for the FA Cup and reaffirmed my belief that it is still the best Cup competition in the world. Stockton will now travel to Curzon Ashton in the next round, which should be another intriguing encounter.

THORNABY FC (Teesdale Park)

FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND, THORNABY 0-2 SUNDERLAND RCA, ATTENDANCE: 300

My first long distance drive since March led me to Teesside for the all Northern League FA Cup clash between Thornaby and Sunderland Ryhope Community Association at Teesdale Park.

Due to the restrictions placed on clubs due to Covid-19, the capacity for today's game was capped at 300. This meant the game was all-ticket, so therefore it was the first time in all my years of groundhopping that I had to buy a ticket for a Preliminary Round tie. I was extremely grateful to the club for putting a ticket aside for me as I couldn't get to the club to collect before the game.

Thornaby are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, having been founded in 2000. Prior to that they were known as Stockton, having been established in 1980 when Stockton Cricket Club's football team joined the Wearside Football League.

The club play at Teesdale Park and the ground is well appointed and has certainly improved since they were demoted to the Northern League Division Two because of the state of the ground. Having previously been subjected to arson, graffiti, fly-tipping and vandals driving over the pitch the ground is now fully enclosed with cover behind one goal, an open stand with seats and a seated main stand. There is even a bus shelter thrown in for good measure! For me though the best vantage point to watch the action was at the top of the grass bank when runs the length of the pitch.

The game was far from a classic with chances few and far between. Thornaby made most of the running but couldn't convert the possession into chances. They had the ball in the net in the first half but it was ruled out for offside. 

The second half continued in similar vein but at least Sunderland RCA upped their tempo a little. I sensed the game was heading for penalties until the turning point of the match after 70 minutes. Sunderland brought on Layton Watts as substitute and within two minutes he had whipped in a delicious curling cross which was headed home by Callum Hope, giving Thornaby's ex- Hartlepool and Middlesbrough 'keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos no chance.

After 80 minutes, Watts was involved again when, after some good play down the wing, he played the ball through for James Fairley to slot home. Thornaby piled forward and it took a superb double save from Sunderland's Rob Dean to preserve their clean sheet and ensure their passage into the next round.