First impressions

I remember an article a few years ago in When Saturday Comes in which the writer, from Spennymoor but no longer living there, drew strange looks from watchers of a televised game by cheering when the commentator announced, "The referee is Mr George Courtney from Spennymoor in County Durham". After last week at Darlington, it might be wise to send a couple of tickets to Mr Courtney when Shaun Reid comes to town.

We should have first visited the Brewery Field nine years ago, but Spennymoor United failed to fulfil their fixtures at the end of the 2004/5 season, the fallout taking us to the playoffs for a place in Conference North. Evenwood Town became Spennymoor Town after these events, and have had a successful few seasons in the Northern League, waiting to apply for promotion until they attained financial stability.

Dr Phil the Pharmacologist, now researching in Edinburgh, took advantage of the border still being open to join us (as did the chap with the "Yes" badge obstinately blocking the view of the hand pumps in the Market Tavern), even if his luggage for his impending holiday nearly travelled without him. I once went on a gloomy November day to Mangotsfield United with a suitcase: a fellow supporter went over with a crisp packet, and lifted up the smaller bag I had put on top, thinking it was a litter bin with a lid.

There is a traditional sign over the gate.

The ground has a sloping pitch, which we can see against the main stand, presumably built to replace the clubhouse facilities lost in an arson attack in 2003 that led indirectly, through loss of income, to the demise of the original club.

James McCulloch, and a strategically placed flag

Our Reserves now play their home games at Hope Street, which we hope will make the teams more integrated, with the Reserves used to try players with potential for the first team and to give players match time returning from injury or suspension. Neil Prince watched the Reserves in their first home game earlier in the week, and called up Jack Hont to the first team.

Jack Hont

We were expecting Spennymoor to be a strong side, and they did not disappoint. Everyone was called into action in defence.

Phil Bannister and Ciaran Gibson deflect an attack

It is said that you only get one chance to make a first impression. Whilst I think very much of the team aspect of the game, once in a while there is a debut you will talk about in years to come. In the 78th minute, Ciaran Gibson mistimed an attempt to gather the ball from the advancing Lee McAndrew, and was adjudged to have denied a goal scoring opportunity. We had a substitution left, so off came Sam Corlett, and on came Youth Team goalkeeper, Ben Morrow, making his first appearance in Senior football.

Ben Morrow takes up position ...

... and makes his first touch a save.

After this, with 10 men and Matty West playing through the effects of recent injury, all efforts went in to defending our goal, with a couple more decent saves, and the defence backing him up well, to ensure we came away with the draw.

Matty West

On the way out, one of the home supporters expressed surprise we were celebrating a point - the answer being that we were not expecting one. In our league position in recent years, every point matters, and getting one from a stout defensive display can be just as inspiring as a win.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Spennymoor Town 0, Prescot Cables 0.