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. 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.