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Saturday 12 January 2019

Birtley Town v Willington

Hosts: Birtley Town FC

LOCATION REPORT

Venue: Robinson Heating & Plumbing Stadium, Durham Road, Birtley DH3 2TB
SatNav: DH3 2TB

Parking: onsite pitchside carpark for c. 30; on-street in adjoining industrial estate
Public transport: good selection of buses along A167 between Chester-le-Street and Gateshead (eg #21 'Angel' [Newcastle-Durham] & #X12 [Middlesbrough-Durham-Newcastle])
Walking: 3 mins walk to the A167

Entry: adults £5, concessions £3, kids free
Programmes: £1

Refreshments: Wadgey's Bar (eg £1 hot chocolate, £1.50 for chips)
Licensed bar: selection of beers in Wadgey's fridge
Toilets: adjacent to entrance
PA system: clearly audible

Covered stands/terraces:
(W) the Andy Foster Stand = c.80 seats
(W) covered terrace, the UK Lift & Elevator Stand = c.40 standing
Open viewing:
(SE corner, outside Wadgey's) 6 x picnic benches = 36 seated
(all sides) hardstanding + lean-on barriers all round

Floodlights: 6 (3 per flank)

MATCH REPORT

Kickoff: 3:00pm Saturday 12 January 2019
Competition: Ebac Northern League Division Two
Weather: chilly breeze, 8°c dropping to 4°c, dry, overcast

Team colours:
Birtley Town = green/white hoops
Willington = fluorescent salmon, black shorts

Official crowd: 102 (season average = 114)
Final [h/t] score:
1 [1] Birtley Town
3 [0] Willington 
Sent Off: 0



NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS


Sometimes, when a dry winter wind still cuts into you on an otherwise unremarkably mild day, it's the quest for hot chocolate as much as groundhopping that spurs you on; today is that kind of day.
Arriving via the A167 from the south, we sense the questing omens are good as we witness the word 'Quest' set in the steelwork of the kids playground.

For Birtley, today is the sixth of seven consecutive home matches stretching back to November, so they should be well-versed in welcoming visitors! And indeed they are!



The onsite carpark is tightly packed, so we find a berth on the service road outside, avoiding the 'no parking' signs.

For the historians out there, Birtley was actually represented by a team in the very first ever Northern League season back in 1889.
This current outfit, however, only dates from the 1990s but has developed into a proud pillar of the local scene, competing at full men's and women's as well as various junior boys' and girls' levels.

 

The gentlemen at the gate are very friendly and welcoming: chatting to all the unfamiliar visitors, pointing out the layout of the venue and inviting us to seek warmth and refreshment in Wadgey's Bar.

Wadgey's is brilliant!
My daughter declares it to be "very cute", her favourite snack-bar visited so far, as the jolly ladies rustle us up two volcanic hot chocolates.
Several generations of locals and visitors mingle, watch television and buy raffle tickets. There's a pool table too.


Outside, half-a-dozen picnic tables sit empty, wistfully dreaming of the spring - when they no doubt host a buzzing patio culture?


We mooch over to the Andy Foster Stand, a covered bank of around eighty flip-up seats, mostly green with a handful of white. We choose a couple of green ones.
The nearby dugouts are also painted in green-and-white hoops, bright and minty! Indeed, everywhere is clean, tidy and well-presented, from the outfield grass to the swept paths.

Behind the stands, the east-coast mainline is just a few yards away. Every few minutes, the draught of express trains is softened by the rows of tall but denuded trees shivering in the January breeze. Yet the whirr of the railway is not invasive but more like a rumbling background soundtrack.


The PA system is crystal clear. The teamsheets are announced and visitors welcomed.
We get a very brief blast of the Red Hot Chili Peppers as the teams walk out, but there's no playlist.

The stand is filling up now, nicely occupied with scattered groups of chattering spectators from both sides. It's never crowded but still feels like its busy with noise under the steel roof.



The visitors are decked in their away kit, which I would describe as a kind of fluorescent salmon pink colour. Handshakes, whistle: we're off.
Above us, the floodlights flicker on and begin to warm up.

Looking to our left, at the northern end, the Komatsu industrial plant factory is shielded by towering trees, bending and swaying.
Over at the southern end, there is a two-storey wall constructed from fourteen ISO containers, screening off the neighbouring cables factory.
To be honest, I'm not so sure if either barrier would actually provide much benefit against a striker's wayward shot or defender's hoofed clearance.

On the pitch, it's been a somewhat frenetic game so far, with no quarters given, but the deadlock is broken midway through the first half by the home side: 1-0.
Shortly afterwards, the visitors are awarded a penalty, which is bundled in by the penalty-taker after twice hitting the same post, and then disallowed (seemingly as no other player had touched the ball?).

 

In the distance, the setting sun glints off the windows of the housing estate perched on the heights opposite. Passing by, a lady continually walks round-and-round the perimeter with her cute doggie, dressed in its red winter jacket.
  

We take a walk back round to Wadgey's just before the half-time whistle, predicting it'll be popular. The pie is excellent, the chips are freshly-out and super-hot, and we even get table service... all served with lashings of a warm hospitality.


Amongst the chocolate and sweets, there's a tub of 50p mix-ups for the kids, which my daughter is delighted to praise as both thoughtful and tasty! 
During the break, the business is indeed brisk and the atmosphere is lovely.

Back out for the second half, we take the same seats and huddle against the chill.

On the pitch, Willington earn another penalty, which is rifled home by a different taker this time. All square.
Then, late on, the visitors are gifted the lead when the home defence panics and the keeper spectacularly scuffs a clearance over his own shoulder and into the empty net.
Finally, in the dying moments, a late decisive third, to complete a Willington second-half comeback.



Game over: 1-3. The locals are deflated and will have to pull themselves back up for the next game, the last of the seven back-to-back home fixtures.
Yet the travelling army are full of cheer (and a wee touch of hubris!), with some claiming their current results merit progress into the upper reaches of the league.

As we make our way out towards home, the lights of Wadgey's are still drawing in the punters from both clubs to share a drink and reflect together on the glorious world of non-league footie.




MORE INFORMATION

Club Twitter: @birtleytfc
Club website: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/birtleytownfc
Club Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BirtleyTownFC

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for your kind words . It’s very important for to know people enjoy visiting Birtley Town .
    Colin
    Secretary

    ReplyDelete