AWAY DAYS

(A Trip Up North) 

After all the trips to the Midlands so far this season it made a pleasant change to head off in a northerly direction for the trip to Gateshead. I must admit when I first saw the draw it was one of those that I thought twice about going to. I’d been before, I hate having to sit down at football matches and it is quite a way but with nothing better to do I decided to give it a go.

We set off early and once again passed the team coach heading in to Southport on the Tareleton by pass.

Our usual route to trips to the North East involves going up to junction 38 of the M6 and across but Martin decided that we would go the scenic route which involved going up to Penrith (managed to get a photo of the front of the ground but there was no way in to get the actual ground) and across on the A686 which was recently voted in the Top 10 scenic routes in Britain. I have never been this way before and talk about spectacular, it was beautiful. Martin was in his element with hairpin bends, sheer drops both sides and constant climbs up to nearly 2000 feet. Being a vertigo sufferer I wasn’t too sure! We called in at the highest market town in the country of Alston before stopping for lunch at The Wellington in Riding Mill and if anyone is ever up in that area I can highly recommend the food, it was superb.

We stopped at Prudhoe Town and Whickham FC’s grounds. The chap on the gate at Whickham was very welcoming and allowed me in to the ground to take some photos, it was only on the way out I realised he was actually a Marske United official who Whickham were playing and beat 4-0! Prudhoe are actually top of Division 2 of the Albany Northern League and were away at Alnwick were they won 3-1 to remain undefeated.

We arrived in Gateshead around 2.30 and found the ground easily, it helps when it is a well signposted stadium. I took my obligatory photo of the outside of the ground but was then approached by a steward who said he had seen me taking a picture and I thought here we go a jobsworth ready to confiscate my camera. Far from it, he invited me to see him at half time and he would let me go on the pitch to take pictures of the main stand if I wanted. It was £6 to get in which to sit down is good value and the programme was just £1.50 and a very good read.

The stadium is good but it’s not for me I’m afraid, you are too far from the pitch, you have to sit down, there is very little atmosphere and with so few people in there it must be hard to raise your game. Having said that Gateshead certainly raised their game and we were under a lot of pressure. It was good to hear a bit of enthusiasm from some home fans for their team. I think it’s true what they say about Geordies, I remember Blyth last season whose fans were equally enthusiastic. The gate of 227 was their second highest of the season bettered only by the 477 against local rivals Bishop Auckland on Bank Holiday Monday. There was a decent yellow following considering the distance.

It took us until the 79^th minute to get the equaliser and the moment summed up how difficult a job a referee and linesman have. The group of Gateshead fans behind me were adamant Terry Fearns was offside when he received the ball. He very definitely wasn’t. I was bang in line (as were the Gateshead fans mind you) Whilst I am obviously biased I am one of those fans who takes off my yellow glasses when I am watching Southport and very rarely get on a refs back. The linesman got this one spot on but the Gateshead fans kept on claiming he was a yard offside and wouldn’t let it drop. Just shows how, when you are committed to your team you don’t always see things as they are!

We could have snatched an undeserved victory when Robbo hit the outside of the post in the dying minutes but a draw was just about right. For the Gateshead boys to say we were lucky (expletives deleted) was a bit harsh, they were a friendly group mind you.

We got straight off after the game and were back for 8pm via the normal route which I was quite glad about as the A686 in the dark and  fog would have been a bit too much for me.

A great day out!

Rob Urwin