AFC Newbiggin are new to the Northern League, having made the step up from the Northern Alliance last summer. I’d not been to their Newbiggin Sports Centre ground previously and so this was an opportunity to tick off one of only two outstanding Northern League venues.
Newbiggin is just the other side of the Tyne and an easy trip through the tunnel. It is so much simpler now that you can have an account with them and don’t have to remember to pay before midnight each time.
It was five quid admission and I bought myself a programme from the kiosk on the way in. It’s an improving set up with trees planted along two sides of the ground and some new fencing around the pitch and the ground perimeter. There was a small stand. It must be expensive bringing a ground up to standard when moving up the tiers, particularly for requirements such as hard standing.
The game kicked off to a chorus of various motivational phrases such as “Start fast” and “Switch the fuck on”. It’s the sort of nonsense that made me quickly tire of playing Sunday League all those years ago. Visitors Durham United may well have switched the fuck on better than Newbiggin, taking the lead five minutes in.
The home keeper was interesting to watch. He persistently drifted from his penalty box and got involved in the play. It was as if he resented being stuck between the posts and wanted to play out. Rush goalie would have suited him fine.
There weren’t any more goals in the first half and I took the opportunity to visit the café in the library hub for a cup of proper coffee. It was only a pound thirty, which seemed a bargain when compared with the usually higher prices for a spoonful of instant.
The intensity increased after the restart and there were a few yellows. As we entered added time Durham were still holding on to their single goal lead. With seconds to go Newbiggin won a corner and their keeper went up. It was the moment he had been waiting for all match. The corner was swung in towards him and with the goal at his mercy he glanced the header just wide. So close.
Trail of the Lion King 