• Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
    • Business Mag
  • Sport
    • Football
    • NAFC
    • Cricket
    • Durham Wildcats
    • American Football
    • Baseball
    • Rugby
    • Youth Football
  • Features
    • Blog
    • Picture Galleries
  • Community
    • A.T People
    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Aycliffe Today
Aycliffe Today
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
      Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

      Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

      300 guests celebrate Aycliffe Make Your Mark Awards

      300 guests celebrate Aycliffe Make Your Mark Awards

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Three weeks to go as host confirmed for 2025 Make Your Mark Awards

      Three weeks to go as host confirmed for 2025 Make Your Mark Awards

    • Business Mag
      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 69

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 69

  • Sport
    • Football
      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

    • NAFC
      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

      Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

      Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

      Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds

      Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds

      Aycliffe’s play-off hopes boosted by back-to-back wins

      Aycliffe’s play-off hopes boosted by back-to-back wins

    • Cricket
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

    • Durham Wildcats
      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

    • American Football
      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

    • Baseball
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

    • Rugby
      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

    • Youth Football
      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

  • Features
    • Blog
      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

    • Picture Galleries
      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

  • Community
    • A.T People
      Spring 2015

      Spring 2015

      December 2014

      December 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
AYCLIFFE HOPE FOR CITY REVIVAL
Home
Sport
Football

AYCLIFFE HOPE FOR CITY REVIVAL

September 4th, 2012 PMcGeary Football, NAFC 0 comments 2013

top banner

Paul McGeary previews Newton Aycliffe’s trip to Durham City this evening…

Ebac Northern League Division One: Durham City vNewton Aycliffe (Tuesday 4th September, 2012)

The last time Newton Aycliffe played Durham City at the Esh Group Stadium, City were two tiers above the Newtonians, competing in the Evo-Stik league as Aycliffe – admittedly topping it – were in the Northern League’s second division.

Tonight the sides meet again, this time at the Northern League’s top table, with Allan Oliver’s side looking to end a club-record six straight league defeats, after a horrific start to the 2012-13 campaign.

We’ll bring you match updates via our Twitter feed on the right-hand side.

It was 22-months ago – on 2nd November, 2010 – when the sides met for the first, and only time in their history. The competition was the Durham Challenge Cup. Aycliffe, by contrast, were on the back of six straight league victories.

Oliver’s side outplayed their hosts, even on their plastic surface, but fell victim to two sucker punch goals as City took the spoils. The rest is history as the Newtonians went on to secure the title and then establish themselves as a top-flight team, while City fell from grace, back to the league which they dominated just six years ago.

Tonight’s game takes on such importance, not just for the visitors, but also the Citizens. One win in four is all Dickie Ord’s side has managed so far this term, and news that Darlington are looking to plunder their ranks once more by signing star player Steve Thompson – a scorer two years ago – will do little to appease the fans.

The Quakers have already hooked David Dowson, skipper Gary Brown and the impressive Purewal twins from the cathedral city in recent months.

For Oliver’s side things can’t get much worse. Defeats aside and the inevitable bottom of the table rank, his side has been ravaged with injuries, suspensions and untimely absences. The signings of Matthew Coad and the returning Dan Mellanby mean the 51-year-old boss will have already used 22 players this season, compared to just 31 in last season’s entirety.

The signs, however, show things are improving. Oliver and assistant Gary Farley have enlisted the help of former Quakers and Hartlepool man Andy Toman, to fill the void left by Brian Atkinson’s departure mid-way through last season.

Saturday’s defeat at three-times Champions Spennymoor came only after a much-improved and spirited performance, which saw a make-shift defence thwart ‘Moors for 76 minutes. Mellanby’s arrival, along with the additions of Sam Vernalls and Lewis Wing mean Oliver has five cards to play up front, compared to just the two he started the season with.

Mark Peck and John Close near a return in the defensive line, and with Darren Craddock now back at the heart of defence after missing three games early on, it shouldn’t be too long before the Newtonians once more show signs of the resistance which saw them house the fourth best defensive record of last season.

Attentions turn to the Esh Group stadium tonight, where Aycliffe will once more be followed by a strong and committed band of support. The same support that went to the Brewery Field on Saturday – 15 who actually walked there to raise funds for the club – despite many believing the club were in for a hammering.

While the chips may be down at Moore Lane Park, the unity grows stronger amongst players, staff and fans. Not one person has questioned the hierarchy while the players remain as committed and dedicated to getting the club back into the division’s top-10 as they were back in June when they returned to training.

Tonight, in the shadow of Durham Cathedral, Aycliffe will hope to lie to rest their poor start to the campaign and build the foundations for a sturdy season ahead – even if it is a month later than expected. Winning is always so much better on the back of a defeat. Or six!

 

top banner

Share it!

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest
Next article DECISION EXPECTED ON WIND FARM
Previous article NEW STRIKER’S NAME IS EARL!

Related News

Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish NAFC
April 29th, 2025

Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday! NAFC
April 17th, 2025

Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds NAFC
April 1st, 2025

Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds

LATEST VIDEO

This week on A.T

May 20th 5:01 PM
Sport

Aycliffe Cricket round-up

May 12th 11:50 AM
Business

Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

May 12th 8:42 AM
Business

300 guests celebrate Aycliffe Make Your Mark Awards

May 2nd 9:28 PM
News

Farage tells council diversity and climate staff to ‘find alternative careers’ after County Durham majority

May 2nd 6:44 PM
News

Four new councillors as Reform UK sweeps into Aycliffe power

Apr 30th 3:54 PM
Business

Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

Apr 29th 4:57 PM
Sport

Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

Apr 28th 2:32 PM
Sport

Aycliffe Cricket round-up

Apr 28th 10:47 AM
News

Cash committed to fund anti-stalking video doorbells

Apr 17th 11:55 AM
Sport

Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

Recommend
Follow @AycliffeToday
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Community
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Back to top
© Aycliffe Today 2019. All rights reserved.
Developed by Thrive

Get our latest news direct to your inbox every Friday - subscribe to our free e-newsletter today.

Subscribe Now