Hebburn Town FC

 My Saturday game took me upto the North East via the Flixbus to Newcastle, after the morning wandering around Grainger Market I took the Metro to Hebburn and arrived at the ground in good time. Hebburn itself didn't offer much with an old 1960s style outdoor small shopping precinct, an Aldi and a very swish council building featuring a library and a swimming pool. The houses I passed on my way to the ground reminded me of many a northern town that has been forgotten, as somebody in the ground who I met and will later mention said to me, 'we are the gaza strip between Newcastle and Sunderland.' I had an added interest in the fixture today, having initially planned to do Boldon CA in the Northern League, I saw that Hebburn were playing York City's old adversaries Scarborough who I was hoping to see get beat hence me going in the home end. However Scarborough also boast many an ex York player, including one of my childhood and younger adult years heroes Michael Ingham as assistant manager, former £1 million pound prospect Jonathan Greening as manager, Jimmy Beadle on the coaching staff and in the playing ranks, Ryan Whitley in goal and Mo Fadera on the bench.

I was at the ground not long after 1pm and to my amazement it was open, I do like a club that makes things easier for fans and that is organised, welcoming instead of treating us like an inconveinience and Hebburn really is a welcoming club. After heading to the wrong turnstile, not knowing where it was segregated, I firstly had a good chat with the turnstile operator, who reminised about when Hebburn drew York in the trophy a few years ago and Steve Watson being the York manager, also a Newcastle legend. When i finally found the home turnstile I was straight in, I walked around getting my pictures and taking in the mish mash of a ground with it's various little stands, it will look better when the new one is built behind the dugouts, which I believe will commence in the close season having been pushed back so as not to disrupt the season, sensible in my opinion, ground upgrades mid season are a recipe for disaster. They are however in the process of doing the bar but it remains fully operational and a credit to them, the second one I have been to in recent weeks that resembles a five star hotel rather than non league football, the other being Flixton. I took a seat behind the goal and just relaxed for a while before I was to go for some food, when I was approached by a club volunteer, Nina, who advised I was sat in where the youth ultras sat and would I be staying here as she commenced to put up their large assortment of flags at various vantage points. We had a really good chat for 20 minutes or so about my groundhopping and being a York fan and Nina was telling me about the dramatic rise of Hebburn through the leagues and how they are just enjoying the ride as a fanbase whilst it lasts. She also mentioned the clubs she doesn't think very highly of, namely South Shields and Darlington, much to my amusement before going on to tell me about the role she plays with the youths, keeping them in line which was really impressive and other clubs should take note with wider society also being able to learn a thing or two from this little football club, as she put it banning and the like doesn't work, instead, go and pick litter or clean those boots or you don't come on the bus for the next away match works much better. Really impressive conversation and as a neutral was made to feel like one of the locals which you don't get very often. I will certainly return to Hebburn one day and in the mean time I hope they continue to thrive at their current level which I am sure they will.

I went to the food hatch and bought Sausage and Chips for £4 before heading into the bar for a pint of Madri and pin badge for £7.90 and took a spot somewhere near half way. I was miles off on the 50 50 draw as usual.

The game got underway much to my amusement once more with the the famous song of Ooo Heaven is a place on Earth, a play on words with Hebburn. The game was typical conference north, tight and cagey, nothing in it and both sides scared of making a mistake. Scarborough came into the game struggling in the lower reaches with Hebburn punching above their weight in the play off positions. It took until 9 minutes before the break for the break through and it came for Scarborough, a good long ball through for Rio Allen, the former Hallam forward, the defender did well to get there first and clear, however the clearance hit Allen and ricocheted into the net to leave the keeper helpless. The home side seem to have a squad largely made up of their championship winning side from the Northern Premier and will probably find the increase in wages at this level a stumbling block in attracting players, but they are nevertheless competing very well and they boast a lot a of admirable talent and a never say die attitude in the squad but to me they lacked a clinical target man, as many sides do, Ryan Donaldson is a willing runner but he lacks a yard of pace and doesn't hold the ball up.

The home side came out after the break refreshed and looking to play on the front foot and got their reward just before the hour mark when a clumsy challenge in the box lead to them being awarded a penalty. However former York keeper Whitley, no doubt under the stewardship of Ingham, made the stop with an excellent dive far to his right to keep the visitors ahead, if he hadn't eaten them all already Ingham, donning his blue Scarborough hat complete with pom pom, will have been passing the Haribo around the bench once more no doubt after this. Eleven minutes from time and again a re taken corner, I had witnessed corner controvesy twice the night before at Billingham, in this case I have no idea why Scarborough were given a second chance but they were and inevitably as the ball was lofted in it was headed home amidst a lot of pushing and shoving, to send the 142 visiting fans into delirium. This was the sucker punch for Hebburn who never recovered, things could have got worse in added on time as lively sub Fadera was denied by the linesmans flag after tucking the ball home.