I decided to revisit a club, something I haven’t done for a while, partly because it was near to me and this would mean using little fuel in the current crisis and because the ground had been totally changed due to grants and locally raised money.

Staveley Miners Welfare have installed a 3G pitch that can be used by the community, they have enhanced the mobility around the ground and the spectator experience.

Arriving at the ground there is still a large car park which has now been tarmaced and lined out meaning you no longer risk damp feet in the puddles. The changes do not end there with new money for a revamp of the car park oposite the junior pitches (which were awarded a grant to redrain them) which will also be available for people to park to visit Poolsbrook Country Park and access to the Trans Pennine Trail.

The clubhouse at Staveley is always welcoming and busy and looked as if it too had seen some redecoration. The five large TV screens shone out on what was a very dark day. The weather put me to shame having complained about the unusual warm weather for September at my prevous matches. The heavy rain came out of very grey skies but luckilly the light breeze did not reduce the temperature.

The beautifully flat 3G pitch was already in use with children taking penalties in the main goal area not cutting up the surface as with a grass pitch, their accuracy was amazing.

Silsden AFC were formed in 1904 with a few ups and downs along the way, with the current incarnation started only 25 years ago. Their rise up the local Craven Leagues and West Riding Leagues meant they were invited to join The North West Counties League in 2004. Like Staveley grantsò enabled them to transform their ground and by 2010 and they were promoted, relegated and promoted again to the Premier Division before being moved laterally to the Northern Counties East League in 2021 due to the FA’s reorganisation.

Staveley Miners Welfare 2 Silsden 3

Trojans v Cobbydalers

The rain just kept coming as the two teams kicked off and it was Staveley who took early control of the game perhaps being more used to the playing surface. They were strongest attacking down the right and it was no surprise that they scored from that sector but unexpectedly via the right back Charlie Bell who recieved the ball 25 yards out to the right of centre of the goal and .hit it true after one touch to the right hand corner of the net. Staveley kept control and still led at half time. Silsden’s sometimes over copmplicated passing movements continually breaking down.

Ten minutes into the second half the rain finally stopped and Staveley were still on top but not converting their chances. Silsden made two substitutions and changed to a more direct style and out of the blue Mohamid Quasim stumbled, swerved and jinked past three Staveley defenders to equalise on 81 minutes.

But within 6 minutes Staveley were back ahead when a corner by Charlie Bell was met with a majestic header by Samuel Kay which ripped into the net.

I thought that would be it but Silsden semed to have found new legs and desire and equalised with 1 minute left on the clock when Bradley Riley recieved the ball on the left of the penalty area and placed it beyond the diving goalkeeper to make it all square.

The breathless end had a further sting in the tail as Silsden wrapped up the game with a third just before the final whistle when Joseph Mitchel scored a long range effort. His delight and the teams was very evident as they celebrated in the corner.

A big reminder that a game is 90 minutes long and if you don’t convert your many early chances you run the risk of paying the price later.

Staveley have certainly now put together an impressive ground and set up that will give them an assured future but the day was certainly not theirs.

The chips at only £1.50 were a great quantity, tasted good, hot, not greassy but were soggy so a disapointing score of 62.

Snow, ice, a waterlogged pitch and Covid have beaten me before so this time a visit in September to the Iron Works ground to see Tow Law Town play seemed sensible.

I wanted to go for different reasons, I had heard it to be one of the most picturesque grounds in the country, which I knew through driving along the A68 in the past, some say it is the second highest ground to Buxton in the UK and I enjoy the competitiveness of Northern League games.

Whether this competitive spirit is because there is still fierce rivalry between what is often very local ex pit villages/town’s, that the Northern League is cocooned in a distinct area, the fan base is pasionate, the players are local and not mercenaries looking for the highest payment, I’m not sure, but I know that there is a difference.

Tow Law set up high in the Durham hills is named from the Old English ‘tot hlaw’ which was the name of a house meaning ‘lookout mound’ and you can soon get the reasoning behind this by taking in the view. The clubs Ironworks Road ground is named after the the works that was important in the area until the mid 1800’s which was replaced as the main employer by coal with the mine finally closing in the 1960’s. Today the population is about 2000 but the club took double that to Wembley in1995 for their unsuccessful appearance in the final of the FA Vase.

Tow Law Town FC were founded in 1890 and played in local football until joining the Northern League in 1920. Their most famous ex player is Chris Waddle who played as a teenager before being prized away to the professional game. The club has gone through ups and downs in its history with miners originally fashioning the club and then again during a Miners strike in 1923 were instrumental in creating the grounds contours that we know today. There have also been some financial problems and the generosity of Sir Bobby Robson (born in a near by village) was needed at one point to keep the club afloat. More recently in April 2020 the club was threatened with folding due to a large sink hole appearing on the side of the pitch and terracing along which an old railway line used to run. A football foundation grant , donations and the help of a YouTuber in the south of England all meant that they were able to raise the money for repairs.

There has been a team in Birtley since a year before the formation of Tow Law but a few reformings in the early years has led to the current team that was established in the early 1990’s. They progressed to the Northern League in 2007 were relegated back to the Northern Alliance in 2016 and were promoted back to the Northern League in 2018.

The day itself was dry, the sky was grey and the car said 20 degrees as I was dropped off. As you walk through the turnstile the lush green grass hits you and there is the whirring sound of a small wind turbine sited in the car park. The pitch unusually slopes end to end and side to side and you soon spot the view over the hills.

Tow Law Town 3 Birtley Town 1

The lawyers v The Hoops

This was a battle between two mid table teams and Birtley chose to play down hill which immediately proved a good move scoring in the first minute when Ben Garrity made space on the right and crossed for James Norton to tap home at the far post.

This was soon countered 4 minutes later when Drew Lake made room to squeeze a strong shot past everyone to go in off the left post. The Tow Law pressure continued and they were ahead a few minutes later, this time through Lewis Teasdale.

The game continued at a competitive furious pace and Tow Law were awarded a penalty for what seemed a very soft challenge and it seemed justice that Birtley’s goalkeeper Isaac Robinson saved it diving to his left. Birtley continued to be in the game particularly due to crosses from the right but a fight back grew harder as a second penalty was awarded to the home side. This time there was no dispute to the penalty awarded for a reckless tackle with the resulting spot kick dispatched to the centre of the goal by Lewis Teasdale for his second of the game.

The first half ended with Tow Law well on top and after such a breathless first 45 minutes it was anyone’s guess how many goals would be added in the next. But there were no more goals from either side despite Tow Laws continual pressure. Birtley did hit the apex of the crossbar and upright but they were well out fought by a stronger more committed team.

A great advert for the League that was spoilt in the first half by some obscure decisions by the referee who was influential in the result. The crowd of only 80 should have been higher considering the skill and value for money of the game.

A really good day out and well worth the wait. The whole set up was much better than expected with the stand and terracing in fine condition. The club house was spacious and comfortable with a large TV at one end showing the Liverpool v Crystal Palace game and another at the other end showing the horse racing. The only disappointment was the chips, at £1.50 they were only warm, squashy and a bit greasy, a score of only 50, I’m sorry to say.

It’s a Tuesday night in mid September and at 7pm but it feels like November with dark skies and constant drizzle. Manchester United are on TV with Chelsea to follow in the Champions League and Sheffield United at home nearby so it’s not surprising that with ten minutes to go to kick off there are only 10 brave souls in the ground. Perhaps there will be a late rush.

The pitch is pretty level but very wet and greasy as recently installed new floodlights light up the gloom. There is a pristine bowling green behind one goal and where you enter the ground there is a Sports Hall and good car park. However I shouldn’t be surprised at the turn in the weather as the Autumn equinox is only a week away and a slide into winter beckons. Mid week winter games under the lights do seem more exciting with a crackle in the air and by my reckoning the crowd has swelled to 35 by the start.

This is a good chance to see the ground before the builders move in to install a new all weather pitch for community use. I overheard a conversation in the seats in front of me that fund raising is on going for a new small stand and a club house.

Dinnington are unbeaten in the league and are playing against St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop who are mid table in the Black Dragon Premier Division North (Central Midlands League).

St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop were established in 1984 and the following is taken from the Dinnington programme.

St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop were a Worksop Sunday League team for 35 years enjoying many succesful seasons. In 2019 it was decided to move to Saturday football and join the Central Midlands League with the aim to provide local Worksop players an opportunity to play football at this level. We won the Central Midlands Division 1 in our first season and were promoted to the Premier Division.

Dinnington town have been going in different guises since 1908, the name progression being Dinnington Main. Dinnington Colliery, Dinnington Main Colliery, Dinnington Colliery and Dinninton Town since 2000. There have been a few reformings on the way and the highest they have reached is the top Division of The Northern Counties East League. With their current developments it looks like better times are ahead.

Dinnington Town 3 St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop 0

Play was even for the first half but neither goalkeeper looked troubled. Dinnington’s keeper had a strong kick that put them firmly in their opponents half. St Joseph’s number 2 was a throw in specialist and put the home team under pressure from some distance. Half time came and although the play had been busy and competitive neither side was on top.

The second half took on a new urgency and after hitting the cross bar and drawing a great low diving one handed save to the goalkeepers right Dinnington went ahead. 14 minutes after the break Jordan Turner took down a through ball with his foot, ran on and hit it from left to right across the keeper to nestle in the right hand corner of the net.

Worksop did not give up and at the other end a glancing header nearly drew them level but 8 minutes later it was 2 nil after Liam Bryan had stretched the defence to be able to knock back a ball from the by line which in the melee deflected into the net.

It was now all over and there was no surprise that athird was added before the end when number 7 ran down the left side to make a perfect cross which was tapped in by Danny Cain for his first touch of the game after just coming on as a substitute. After this Dinnington dominated the last 10 minutes as momentum, superior strength and fitness took over. Dinnington still undefeated but this is going to be a very competitive League this year with a long way to go.

Where were the officials? They were in comand the whole game with instant direct decisions, well done.

I look forward to visiting here again in a couple of years when the changes have all been made. No chips at the moment but perhaps with the new facilities in the future.