Northallerton Town v Esh Winning

Hosts: Northallerton Town Football Club
Venue: Calvert Stadium, Ainderby Road, Romanby, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL7 8HA

Kickoff: 15:00 Saturday 4 August 2018
Competition: Ebac Northern League Division Two

Weather: warm, 24°, dry, sunny with occasional clouds, fresh breeze

LOCATION REPORT

Directions: see NTFC website
SatNav: DL7 8HA
Parking: free onsite car park, 200+ spaces
Public transport: buses from Northallerton town centre, mainline rail station one mile away

Club information: NTFC website

Entry: £6 (£3 seniors, £1 kids)

Refreshments/Facilities: licensed clubhouse with snack bar, pitchside beer patio
Example: chip butty £2, pie+peas £3.50

Programmes: £1.50

Stands/Terraces: terrace to three sides, covered in places; seating in roofed John Prest Family Stand

Floodlights: 4 x corners

MATCH REPORT

Official report:
Northallerton Town viewpoint,
Esh Winning viewpoint

Official crowd: 121

Full-time [h/t] score (colours):
6 [4] Northallerton Town (black/white)
1 [1] Esh Winning (green/yellow)

Bookings: 0
Sent Off: 0

NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS

The traffic is light on the A684, winding from the busy A1 trunk into the North Yorkshire countryside, except for the inevitable tractor-and-haytruck combination that slows several of us into a snaky queue through the picturesque village of Ainderby Steeple. 

The weather this summer has been remarkably warm and dry, and as we emerge from the dappled shade of giant trees, the strong sun reflects off the helmets of a convoy of scooter riders heading toward the coast. The tractor finally exits left into a tiny gap between two houses and, as the road straightens out, I overtake the scooter crew and head east to Northallerton.

I pass the sign for Romanby, nip to the local Co-op for a bottle of water, and drive back round to the ground on the outskirts of town. 

Nestled behind a row of mighty trees, the stadium is neat and attractive. The car park is very large and almost empty, and I park next to a tall 4x4 to engineer some shade. 

Today, there are new vehicles dressed in balloons alongside the turnstiles. I later find out that these are PR for the club's proud new-season sponsors, a local Toyota dealership.

The friendly guy on the turnstile is full of good cheer on this first game of the season. I grab a programme and wander in. Having arrived around 30 minutes before kick-off, I have plenty of time for photos and to walk around the ground trying out a few prospective vantage-points.

It's a fine place, with a long covered terrace along the western side and two open terraces at each end. The far side, where the dugouts are, is fenced-off to spectators.
Everywhere is clean and the white paintwork is gleaming in the full glare of the sunshine.

The clubhouse is on the halfway line, set back from the pitch beyond a patio area bedecked with picnic tables. Families are enjoying a drink in the sun, and the place is busy with excited little fans! The bar in the clubhouse is busy and spills out into the pitchside patio: plastic glasses only we are reminded. A beer in the sun is very tempting, but I have to drive home. 

The sunshine is pretty strong today, and foolishly I have brought no hat, so I wander through to find some shade in the 200-seater John Prest Family Stand.

The teams are both out having their final warm-ups. Along the near touchline, a group of little kids are having practice on the pitch. There are loads of young families around, and every generation is here from newborns to the village elders.

The PA kicks in with a deliciously old-fashioned crackle, and the announcer entertains with some customary banter. A few fans are sporting replica shirts (a phenomenon that I simply never saw in the lower levels of my Quest) and the PA guy's proudest announcement is that new replica kits are available for purchase for new season, obviously bearing the logo of the new sponsors. Amongst the summerwear, a few men in motor-trade suits are enjoying some corporate hospitality! Various pitchside adverts on the eastern perimeter wall have been bleached by exposure to the sun.

The PA reads through the full teamsheets and welcomes the players and officials out, accompanied by a dozen little mascots, who enjoy it so much they forget to come off the pitch for kick-off.

The visitors, Esh Winning - or the Stags - have not brought a noticeable level of support with them. Instead, behind the away goal, a small band of local fans have pinned a large English flag to the fencing. Their sing-song encouragement is rewarded almost immediately with an early goal to the home side. A lovely mazy run down the right is finished off with a neat left foot shot tucked into the bottom corner. Northallerton are off and running, the Stags are still sleepy. 

The home crowd behind the Esh goal sing up, their plastic glasses balanced precariously on the edge of the advertising boards.

Around me is the aroma of weed (I didn't see that on the menu of the snack kiosk?) and the lad sat behind me is commenting to himself under his breath. He should go grab the mic!
The cooling breeze is very pleasant and, as the sun dips behind the clouds, I ponder do I go back out from the shade of the stand? 

A second goal to the home side. Again, a cross from the right, this time a scrappy tap-in but they all count. There's clearly a difference in skill level on show today, but Esh are not wilting despite the pressure. They have their moments too, but can't get into the same gear as their hosts. A lone voice in the stand is encouraging the visitors, maybe a proud mum? 

Still, less than 30 minutes having been played and it's 3-0: a clean curling shot into the far corner beyond the rooted keeper.
Moments later - literally! - and it's 4-0! I'm still writing about the third and I miss another immediate goal.

It's time to go back out into the sun, hat or not. I find a vantage-point at the opposite end to the cheery singers, near a trio of middle-aged local blokes who are relaying to each other the score-flashes off the internet, like some wannabe continuity announcers. One asks the others about the location of today's visiting team; having convinced himself incorrectly about the answer, they debate the fact that actually Esh Winning is a nightmare to find for a stranger. That's a bit harsh, but yes it isn't the easiest. 

On the stroke of half time, Esh pull one back; determination from their centre-forward and a neat stroke into the far corner. Is a revival on the cards?

It's half time. The PA man encourages people to buy promo raffle tickets and thanks the local builders who sponsor the match ball. He tells the kids to come and get a goody bag and balloons courtesy of the new club sponsors, although nobody actually knows what's IN the goody bags: presumably not footmats or vouchers for a half-price MoT? 

The music comes back on (sounds like Justin Bieber? My daughter would know) as I change ends for a bit of variety. The comedy trio do likewise. They are pestered by a wasp. 

I grab a chip butty from the old lady at the snack hatch: she's a bit abrupt but the food is OK. I was intrigued by the PA man's earlier reference to the fact that it's "award winning" (namely Northern League "Teahut of the Year Award 2016/17").

The clouds cover is welcome and the annoyance of full sun is temporarily relieved. I swig the last of my Co-op water but I can’t be bothered to buy any more here.

The second half starts. Esh Winning are more assertive now and bolder in attack. It may not be enough to rescue the result, but hopefully it shows some character for the coming season. 

A home substitute comes on and the bench hold up an old-fashioned board with numbers on. Again, that's something they don't bother with at the lower levels. 

On the pitch, it's not long before Northallerton grab a fifth and the contest is definitely over. Esh concede a clumsy free kick and it's a relatively easy nod in for the leaping Northallerton forward.

Later, the frustrated Esh striker goes down with a pull to the groin. He's crippled and can't continue, but the Stags have used all their subs, so it's down to ten men for the final minutes.

Inevitably, the home side take advantage and their forward sidesteps the stranded Esh keeper to roll into an empty net.
6-1: a few Esh players trudge past us, boots in hand, yellow socks rolled to their ankles. It's been an opening day to forget perhaps. I guess the only way is up? 

Game over. Northallerton will be top of the league tonight, Esh Winning will be rock-bottom.

It's an easy route back through the villages to the A1, but I nip round to the Co-op again for another drink for my journey.
The first venue of my new Quest is ticked off. Another nineteen lie ahead. Another seven-goal thrillers, maybe?