By Ryan Livingston
Newton Aycliffe just missed out on a play-off place, finishing sixth in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Division One East – their highest ever league placing.
Added to equalling their best FA Cup run (second qualifying round) and their best FA Trophy run (first round proper), the 2024-25 has been an excellent achievement for Brian Atkinson’s side.
Aycliffe were in the play-off hunt until the final day after a season which saw them scoring 93 goals (the highest in the league) along the way and with an average attendance of 236, an increase of over 20% on last season.
April 19th
Sherwood Colliery 0-3 Newton Aycliffe
Aycliffe made the long trip to Nottinghamshire to face already relegated Sherwood Colliery. The home side did start off brightly but their haphazard defending was their downfall when Jake Petitjean made it 1-0 in the 23rd minute after a pacey breakaway. Ten minutes later Dean Thexton made it 2-0. In the 49th minute the game was beyond Sherwood when Jake Petitjean got his brace. The second half saw Sherwood try to get back into it, but Aycliffe managed the game in a well enough manner to keep the clean sheet.
April 21st
Newton Aycliffe 0-1 Dunston
This low scoring contest was probably not one for the neutral and it was decided in the 64th minute when David Robinson headed home from a cross in a crowded box. Aycliffe did send men forward towards the games end but Dunston saw out the contest with a 1-0 win. Dunston finished the season in second place, earning a home tie in the play-off semi final on 29 April.
April 26th
Ossett Town 0-0 Newton Aycliffe
Aycliffe struggled to accomplish much of note on a very heavy pitch where the home side had the far greater amount of chances throughout the game. Sparing a few Jim Pollard saves in both halves, very little happened to write home about from an Aycliffe perspective. Most crosses and attacks forward were easily dealt with by Ossett’s goalkeeper Aleks Petrovic. Results elsewhere meant Aycliffe missed out on the playoffs.
FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
| P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | Pts | ||
| C | Cleethorpes Town | 42 | 28 | 9 | 5 | 91 | 35 | 56 | 93 |
| 2 | Dunston | 42 | 24 | 9 | 9 | 82 | 47 | 35 | 81 |
| 3 | Stocksbridge Park Steels | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 64 | 37 | 27 | 78 |
| 4 | Belper Town | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 73 | 51 | 22 | 78 |
| 5 | Emley AFC | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 58 | 35 | 23 | 77 |
| 6 | Newton Aycliffe | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 93 | 60 | 33 | 75 |
| 7 | Carlton Town | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 69 | 55 | 14 | 71 |
| 8 | North Ferriby | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 55 | 46 | 9 | 68 |
| 9 | Garforth Town | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 53 | 49 | 4 | 59 |
| 10 | Bradford (Park Avenue) | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 62 | 58 | 4 | 57 |
| 11 | Bishop Auckland | 42 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 60 | 65 | -5 | 52 |
| 12 | Heaton Stannington | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 54 | 67 | -13 | 51 |
| 13 | Pontefract Collieries | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 55 | 70 | -15 | 51 |
| 14 | Consett AFC | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 59 | 78 | -19 | 49 |
| 15 | Ossett United | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 47 | 61 | -14 | 48 |
| 16 | Ashington AFC | 42 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 50 | 67 | -17 | 48 |
| 17 | Grimsby Borough (-3) | 42 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 46 | 49 | -3 | 47 |
| 18 | Bridlington Town | 42 | 14 | 4 | 24 | 50 | 75 | -25 | 46 |
| R | Brighouse Town (-3) | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 47 | 73 | -26 | 44 |
| R | Sherwood Colliery | 42 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 43 | 84 | -41 | 36 |
| R | Liversedge | 42 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 49 | 69 | -20 | 34 |
| R | Sheffield | 42 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 51 | 80 | -29 | 29 |