Willington v West Allotment Celtic

Hosts: Willington AFC

LOCATION REPORT

Venue: Hall Lane, Willington, County Durham DL15 0QG
Geo: Google Maps 

SatNav: DL15 0QG
Parking: on-street (adjacent, within walking distance)
Public transport: buses to Willington including #46 & X46 (Crook-Durham)

Entry: adults £5, concessions £3, under 16s £2 (or free with a paying adult)
Programmes: £1

Refreshments: 'Tea Hut' in main block (eg £1.50 coffee, £1.60 for chips)
Licensed bar: onsite
Toilets: in the bar
Other Facilities: n/a

Ground capacity: 7000
Covered Stands/Terraces:
  Main stand seats = 350
  Covered standing at both ends = 100s
Open Terraces:
  Jackie Foster Terrace + pitchside patio,
  hardstanding to all sides,
  lean-on barriers all round

Floodlights: 8 (4 per flank)

MATCH REPORT

Kickoff: 3:00pm Saturday 3 November 2018
Competition: Ebac Northern League Division Two
Weather: chilly, breezy, dry at first turning showery 

Team colours:
Willington = royal blue/white
West Allotment Celtic = green/white hoops 

Official crowd: 85

Final [h/t] score:
2 [1] Willington AFC
0 [0] West Allotment Celtic FC

Bookings: 0
Sent Off: 0

Official League Report

Home team viewpoint 

Away team viewpoint

NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS

Willington is grey today. It isn't raining yet but you just know it's coming.

Tucked behind rows of terraces, the Hall Lane ground is an irresistible throwback to yesteryear, made up of several scattered buildings, covered terraces and a mighty main stand, all resplendent in royal blue and white livery.

The club has a long proud heritage, having been established in 1906 and joined the Northern League in 1911.

Their most prestigious day came in 1950 when they reached the final of the Amateur Cup, defeating Bishop Auckland 4–0 at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 88,000: sweet revenge for being runners-up to Bishop in the last pre-war final in 1939.

In the mid eighties, the club hit the  headlines when none other than legendary fedora-wearing bon vivant and tabloid attention-grabber Malcolm Allison managed the side for eleven games. Never one for missing a good story, apparently his first game was curious for him not being allowed to meet the players beforehand due to an official ban and an unpaid fine of £250!

Springing very much to the present, the new weekly Willington podcast is a wonderful thing, thanks to their 'media officer' Dean Midas Maynard. I would recommend a listen, even for a non-supporter, as it's heartening to hear the affection for the club and the grassroots game in general... and why shouldn't a club of Willington's heritage embrace the podcast era?!

The ground is known to me: I've been here in August to watch Willington's current tenants Durham City, but today I'm here to see the permanent residents.
The weather last time was warm and sunny, but today the bracing wind is squeezing through every gap and into whatever soft flesh I may foolishly expose.

On the pitch, last season (ie the 2017/18 campaign) saw Willington AFC have their best Northern League points tally for 42 years. This season they are currently a respectable eighth at kickoff, with today's opponents only a few points behind; hopefully it should make for a competitive game. 

We stop at the excellent 'Tea Hut' for a chat and some hot drinks: it's £1.50 for a very tall cup, great value.
My daughter compliments the hot chocolate, long and warming, so she can thaw her mittened hands around it.

People are filing in as we approach kick-off, some from the welcoming on-site bar. Folks are randomly scattered across the outfield, despite the various undercover areas, and several occupy the Jackie Foster Terrace, presumably named after the 280-game player from the early seventies...

... or the Bob Nichols Stand, named after the venerable club's historian.

We choose to sit in the main stand: at first, we're pretty much the only ones but then twenty or so join us over time.

The players and match officials stride out for the customary handshakes etc, and then collect around the centre circle to observe one minute's silent. Given that Armistice Day is still a week away, I assume this to be a mark of respect for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the Leicester City owner killed last week as his helicopter crashed after take-off from the pitch post-match.

A peep of the whistle. The sombre mood lifts. Game on.
The game is played at high speed, with a few moments of heightened emotion from both sides. The referee keeps his cards in his pocket.
Almost on the stroke of half-time, the home side score: 1-0.

During the break, we get some chips from the Tea Hut, with huge blobs of tasty tangy sauce. We return to the same spot as before, away from the chilly shudder of the wind.

Away from football, one of Willington's most celebrated sons is George Burdon McKean, the decorated war-hero and VC, to whom a memorial in the village centre is dedicated. His memory is shared internationally, as there's also the Church Square in Cagnicourt, France renamed in his honour and the 9,000ft Mount McKean in Canada. 

Back in the present, the second half begins. Within the early moments, there's another goal. Willington have doubled their advantage: 2-0.

The gloomy afternoon begins to ease itself towards dusk, and the mighty floodlights begin to warm up to full glow. We notice that one of the floodlight bulbs is out.

Into the later afternoon, and the dark clouds pull across like a blanket and the last blue of sky is lost behind them.
As the final minutes tick away, these clouds release their load; the tiptap of the intermittent raindrops grows progressively into a drumming on the steel roof, and then a full on shower which the wind whips into sparkling curls in the arc of the floodlights.

Game over. We exit last from the stand, hoods up, as the lights switch off in instalments and the upper end is plunged into dark.
The sound of fireworks fizzles in the distance, and the warmth of the car heater is very welcome.

MORE INFORMATION

Club Twitter: @WillingtonAFC

Club website: http://willingtonafc.co.uk/club/