Willington Quay Saints 0 Hexham 4
After another two week enforced layoff due to the weather it was time to dust off the boots and get back to league action for Hexham in the Northern Alliance. A trip to the Rising Sun Sports was on the agenda to take on Willington Quay Saints.
The pitch was understandably showing signs of wear and the centre area could only be described in horse racing terms as heavy. The rest of the playing area was ok and the match got underway with Hexham facing a deceiving incline in the first half. Playing any sort of football was difficult for both teams as time after time the ball would deflect and do all sorts of strange tricks as the surface cut up across the pitch.
Scott Coates scores Hexham's 4th direct from a free kick
The best two chances fell to Hexham in the opening half, the first when Scott Robson beat the offside trap as Jamie McNamee was tracking back. With the Willington defenders appealing Scott bore down on the goal but home keeper Carl Henderson did enough to put him off as he came off his line. Next opportunity came from a set piece when Gavin Cox got a strong header which Henderson stopped on the line. In a bruising opening half centre back Graeme Turner seemed to be in the wars but came through the encounters on top.
Hexham Ladies Netball were away to Berwick on Thursday night. With a full squad Berwick started positively and gained possession quickly but with some missed first shots Berwick's heads went down and Hexham took the lead 8-2.
Hexham A Team (pictured below) currently play in the Regional Netball League on a Saturday morning. They play against some very experienced clubs and excellent teams including Team Northumbria. This is great experience for this relatively new Northumberland team although it is hard work.
Hexham 3, Newcastle BT 1
Once again the Northern Alliance fixture list was affected by the weather but Hexham were fortunate that their Division Two match was given the go-ahead. Once again the squad was depleted with seven call offs in the morning due to injury and work commitments, but this year's squad has great strength in depth and Hexham were still able to name five subs.
Curtis Harvey scores his first senior goal for Hexham
There was even a change of match referee as appointed official Colin Smith was requested to take a game in Cumbria but another local ref Brian Young stepped in to save the day.
Newcastle BT had not come just for a day out and was looking for the points and for the first ten minutes had Hexham on the back foot. They seemed sharper in to the tackle and were finding their men better than the home side but did not put Dave Anderson in the Hexham goal under any serious pressure.
Hexham u16 girls 1, North Shields u16 girls 1
Hexham girls entertained North Shields at Tyne Green on Sunday in what was only their second league game of the season.
After a cold start, the Hexham girls settled into the match well with some good play up the left hand side between Beth Kennedy and Emma Smith. However as one of Hexham's attacks was broken down, the first goal of the match came as North Shields broke with a quick pass from the midfield over the Hexham defence to leave the North Shields striker to hit the back of the net.
Hexham's heads did not fall though and with growing communication between Holly Turley and Hannah Kennedy the defence grew strong.
The cream of the region's triathlon talent will be put through its paces in Hexham this weekend.
The North East Regional Junior Academy will be selecting athletes to represent the area in the forthcoming 2010 season.
As part of that selection process, a talent identification day will be staged at the Wentworth Leisure Centre in Hexham on Saturday (12.30).
Hexham 1, Swalwell 1
It has been six long weeks ago since Hexham took to the field in the Northern Alliance, the two week Christmas break and the arctic conditions that the region has been suffering have all conspired to make this seem like starting pre season all over again.
It was December 12th the last time Hexham took to the field and as coincidence would have it Swalwell were again the opposition. But this time Hexham were determined not to make the same mistake again as in the previous match when they let a two goal lead slip away in the last five minutes only to share the points.
Curtis Harvey was starting his first game for the home side and along with striking partner Jamie MacManee and they both made impression early on. As the game begun Hexham were on the offensive and could have scored in the first minute when MacManee and Harvey combined but visiting keeper Tim Wakefield rushed from his line to smother the danger.
Swalwell 2 Hexham 2
Hexham travelled to the site of the old coke works on Spar Well Road, Blaydon on Saturday which is now home to the Swalwell Juniors football club. Alongside the junior section the senior team play their home games at these impressive facilities. The pitch itself was not quite as impressive and the strain of many matches and the recent rain had taken its toll.
The surface was heavily sanded and in racing circles it would have been described as Heavy. But it was good to get the game on and Hexham had the luxury of naming four subs as some of the injuries and illness were beginning to clear up.
From the off Hexham looked good as long as they kept the ball on the ground with Tom Phillips and Jamie McNamee leading the attack. Any aerial threat was snubbed out quickly by centre half Jason Raper who had a definite height advantage. So the ball had to be played to feet and into space from the midfield pair of Scott Coates and Neil Tiffin.
Hexham 0, Wideopen & Dist 0
The early season pace setters came to Hexham on Saturday looking to get their season back on track after losing contact with the top two in the Pin Point Northern Alliance on Saturday. Hexham's horrendous run of injuries and illness continued with no less than eight regular squad members unavailable and several playing not one hundred percent.
But thanks to the strength in depth of the club two players Andrew Crawford and Curtis Harvey, who have come up through the junior teams were able to sign match day registrations and take their place in a squad of thirteen.
The Tyne Valley had escaped much of the rain which had caused chaos to the fixture list, this being only one of six matches played in the Alliance. The Wentworth pitch was in good condition and the sun was shining which caused problems for Hexham keeper David Anderson in the first half.
Forest Hall 2, Hexham 1
This was a Northern Alliance game between two very well matched teams. But the deciding factor in this encounter was to be the never ending illness and injury cycle which has hit the Hexham side.
Hexham travelled to Forest Hall with the bare eleven with no fewer than seven players all out for one reason or another. This was still a strong side that took the field but inevitably some players were asked to play out of position and in an unfamiliar formation.
Considering the rain the pitch was in good condition and after winning the toss Hexham decided to play with the low winter sun at their backs and went about their task . Both sides went for the points with Hexham leaving Tom Phillips as main striker with Thomas North and Scott Robson playing wide trying to create the bullets, but the main inspiration was Neil Tiffin who was making the midfield tick with some pinpoint passes.
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