Prior to the start of the 2024-25 Northern Alliance season, Amble, Cullercoats, Newcastle Blue Star U-23s, Whitley Bay Sporting Club 'A' and Walkergate all resigned from the league.
Newcomers this season are AFC Newbiggin Reserves, Bedlington United, Killingworth Reserves and Ovingham, who all move from the NE Combination League, plus a new club - Wrekenton Blue Star. Wreka are a local team to me, who play down the Longbank at Black Lane, a ground I visited when Birtley St Joseph played one season there in the Alliance. I checked them out pre-season and they look good for a decent season in the 3rd Division.
As far as new grounds to visit are concerned, there's just the three to do, which are…
930. St Peter's Sports Hub
Benton 3-4 Ellington
Saturday 24th August 2024
The Northumberland FA have relocated their headquarters from Whitley Park to St Peter's Playing Fields, just off the Coast Road at the top end of Wallsend. The 4G pitch has two 50 seater covered stands and team benches on the Coast Road side. The rest of the site is a work in progress, as the main building and car park are still not finished.
Northern Alliance sides Willington Quay Saints and Benton are both using St Peter's as their home ground from this season.
Benton 3-4 Ellington
Northern Alliance Division 2 matchday 6/5
(10th v 11th)
2pm ko
Att.22hc
A cracking second half saw Benton come from behind to take a 3-2 lead with a second strike from Cal Wilson on 84 minutes. With time running out the visitors pinched the points, with two great finishes from Tom Ward in the dying minutes.
0-1 33' Ethan Foster
1-1 55" Cal Wilson
1-2 64" Richard Burn
2-2 75' Dom Burnie
3-2 84' Cal Wilson
3-3 89" Tom Ward
3-4 90' Tom Ward
931.Ovingham Playing Fields
Ovingham 5-1 Killingworth U-23
Wednesday 28th August 2024
Ovingham is a village and civil parish in the Tyne Valley of south Northumberland. It lies on the north bank of the Tyne, just over the river from Prudhoe.The club have been around since 1902, playing at the village playing fields, which is now tucked inside a housing estate off Ovingham Road.
Ovingham 5-1 Killingworth U-23
Northern Alliance Division 3 matchday 7/6
(10th v 9th)
6.15pm ko
Att.37hc
A brace from Archie Leonard set up a good win for the Swans, although the score should have been much closer as the visitors missed several easy chances.
1-0 3' Archie Leonard
2-0 26' Keiran Harrison
3-0 55' Archie Leonard
4-0 64' Ben Robinson
5-0 81' Billy Murphy
5-1 87' Harvey Hutchinson
The other Alliance ground to do is Bedlington United. This will be added to this post in due course.
