Friday 3rd April 2026 ko 18:00

Northern League Division One

EASINGTON COLLIERY 2 (Elliott 42 Anderson 90+4)

HORDEN COMMUNITY WELFARE 1 (Campbell 66)

Att 770

Entry £7

Programme £2

If the other two games that day were all about host clubs new to the Northern League, then the day’s finale was all about a club extremely well entrenched in the league. I’d been speaking to the league’s Mike Amos- who commented to expect a gigantic local derby, with a crowd to match. He wasn’t wrong….

There are of course no lack of colliery sides, the visitors being a good example, but few bear the name of the village of origin, the village is Easington Colliery, not Easington- and its where the film “Billy Elliott” was set. The ground is set at the back of where the colliery used to be and as we arrived it was fair to say the crowds were beginning to swamp the place. But then I saw a friendly face.

Connor Lamb is something of a non league football hero around these parts, a blogger, groundhopper and programme editor for both here and Horden CW. He was helping direct the traffic, and soon found Robyn and I somewhere quiet to park. In his programme notes he pointed out that everything that was going to happen that evening was being driven by a committee of six. That’s right 6…. but what six!

The Welfare Ground was heaving, one of those evenings where you pick your spot and stay there. For me that meant anywhere I could put that wonderful of the coast heading south towards Hartlepool with Peterlee in the foreground. Not that the game wasn’t worthy of note. Two sides slogged it out, two sets of schoolkids threw insults at each other with their parents seperating the warring factions. The hosts won it with virtually the last kick of the game, the kids had a half- hearted attempt at a fight before realising it was all a bit pointless.

We made our way out, and I tried to find Connor to thank him. Needless to say I couldn’t find him, I’m sure there was still plenty of things the magnificent six still had to do. Good on them, and once again thanks!