For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Whickham Thorns Outdoor Centre weather map Environment Agency Updated: 11:32 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 Some high level cloud turning the sunshine hazy at times Staying dry with some lengthy clear skies overnight Turning chilly with a touch of grass frost in places with variable amounts of cloud and sunny spells on Wednesday Fine and settled weather conditions are expected to continue with variable cloud and bright or sunny spells throughout Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest high pressure will be dominant across the UK This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year although there is a chance of some cold nights Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average We use cookies to help improve our service and give a better experience to you You can agree to cookies or go to the settings and change your preferences You can change or withdraw your consent at any time by following the 'Cookies' link in the footer candidate for the Liberal Democrat Party has won the by-election for the Whickham North ward which took place today (Thursday 24 October) The by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Sonya Hawkins See the full result of the count Gateshead Now is a collection of the latest news from Gateshead Council Shildon ran riot against Whickham scoring four goals to win the Durham County FA ‘Frank Pattison’ challenge cup final for the 7th time in the club’s history Ben Reay scored the first goal of the game for the Railwaymen in the 20th minute It was then Nathan Greenwood who doubled the lead for Shildon in the 56th minute that came from substitute Oliver Green in the 89th minute of the game to make it 3-0 Green scored his second of the game only a couple minutes later in injury time to wrap up a tremendous cup final victory for the Railwaymen Shildon were looking to secure some silverware after an already impressive season where they sit second in the league Whickham on the other hand were hoping to win this cup after failing to win in the final last year putting the ball through the defenders legs and slotting home into the bottom corner of the goal at the Roker End Whickham pushed hard for an equaliser before the break but couldn’t find a way to cut open Shildon’s strong defence This would be a common occurrence that the Lang Jacks suffered for the rest of the game Shildon doubled their lead to get one hand on the trophy Greenwood smashed the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box to make it two Green came on late in the second half and managed to score a brace The first was a strike that bounced off the Whickham defender The second was a ball across the box which was tapped home by Green This secured a dominant win for Railwaymen and allowed them to take the trophy back home to Shildon attention turns back to the league where Shildon will have a play-off run for the second time in just as many seasons whilst Whickham’s bid for survival goes down to the final day Tweets by Sports_Byte The independent voice of Newcastle United since 1988 Get your daily update and weekly newsletter by signing up today I had an ‘Open letter to Eddie Howe’ published in The Mag In that letter I was honest about the doubts that had crept into my mind earlier in the season saying that we hadn’t made the best of starts and I’d been questioning his tactical nous Before then going on to say that he had weathered the storm and proved me and the other doubting Thomas’ wrong that we were flying with regard to that second Wembley appearance coming up in March with also a real possibility of grabbing another Champions League berth I also pointed out my irritation surrounding the League Cup Final loss of 2023 before annihilating the same opposition less than six weeks later in April 2023 “Me and the lad will be bonding in the smoke on the weekend of 15/16 March but it’ll be a very different experience to the one we had in 2023 partly because the lad can now drink me under the table but also because I am 100% certain that you will bring home the cup this time no matter the opponent and no matter the outcome of those previous visits to the Empire Stadium during my lifetime The 2025 experience turned out to be very different in so many ways We found a watering hole called the Lemon Tree Where it seems we gatecrashed a gathering of the Whickham Mags (photo below) who were busy belting out renditions of all the classics Joe Harvey took a holiday (full version) and the Albert Luque ‘one nil down four one up’ effort being sung with particular gusto and each time it sounded like it was petering out I made the mistake of going pint for pint with a 19-year-old who now has considerable experience of the drinking game I woke with the worst hangover in over two decades and felt like I would have to give Wembley Stadium a body swerve later in the day a couple of hours extra sleep and a hair of the dog can do albeit my alcohol intake was much suppressed on the day of the Final something that worked to my considerable advantage being in full control of my senses come 1630 and not having to pop downstairs every quarter of an hour thereafter for the regulation comfort break We all know how NUFC played and how it ended that they’d maybe held something back in that game that demonstrates how focused he and the rest of the team were on delivering us that trophy The reaction has been everything I would have expected and more besides those from outside the region without any connection to Newcastle United I was pointed at a Twitter feed the other day which showed the post-match reaction from the players to a slowed down version of Local Hero I’d encourage readers to find it and watch/listen but we at least have a bus parade of sorts truncated in the sense that it’ll skirt the northern extremities of the city centre before heading up the Great North Road Good luck to anyone trying to get a decent vantage point on Percy Street To the tune of the ‘ballad of the green beret’ here goes my attempt to register a terrace anthem for the next generation: View Author Profile If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk Newcastle United loan player releases emotional farewell statement to fans Official Newcastle United announcement- Garang Kuol shortlisted for award Confirmed Newcastle team v Brighton – Schar Sky Sports expert’s verdict on Newcastle United – Struggle to disagree with any of this Brighton 1 Newcastle 1 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction Alexander Isak leaving Newcastle United headlines take decisive shift Just imagine having this brilliant player in black and white stripes next season Monday night twist impacts chase for Champions League places Brighton fans comments after Sunday’s draw against Newcastle United – Interesting Both teams will be desperate for a result with them both fighting their own battles at either end of the table The Lang Jacks currently sit just above the relegation zone in 19th They will be looking for three points to move even further away from the teams below them Whickham go into the game off the back of a 4-0 loss at the weekend against Newcastle Benfield whilst their opponents this weekend drew 2-2 in their last game With sights set on their Durham County FA challenge cup final in April Whickham will be hoping to survive relegation alongside securing a trophy this season Boro Rangers are currently in the play-off places of the league in fifth place With only three games left of the campaign a result at the weekend would take them one step closer to securing a play-off spot These two teams last played each other in September last year Boro Rangers dominated the game winning 6-1 It’s unlikely it will be as one sided this time around and it will be interesting to see if Whickham can defeat the odds to get a result Kick off on Saturday at the Glebe sports ground is at 3pm Benfield got a solid point away from home against North Shields Aidan Haley and Noah Millington got the goals to secure the point in a 2-2 draw with both sides closely positioned next to each other in the bottom half of the table The Lions were in the process of finding a new manager The away side scored the only goal in the game through Jakub Zych whose long-range effort flew into the bottom right corner to give Benfield a much-needed victory just one below the playoffs on 63 points after 37 games played Whickham sit two places above the drop in 19th on 33 points after 38 games The Lang Jacks would have eased their relegation fears after an impressive 5-0 dismantling of playoff chasers Whitley Bay on Tuesday night This will give the away side confidence going into tonight’s match so Andy Ferguson’s team shouldn’t be taking Whickham lightly My player to watch for tonight’s game is Mason Hardy The striker bagged a hat-trick in midweek and will want to get back on the scoresheet this evening The former Carlisle youngster joined The Lang Jacks in the summer and has shown promise this season He will face up against a resolute Benfield backline who will be hopeful of keeping the lively forward quiet Boro Rangers breeze past Whickham to maintain a strong standing in their play-off pursuit It didn’t take long for the visitors to take the lead in the game a goal from Harry Thompson in the 12th minute opened the floodgates Striker Stuart Rose made it two in the 34th minute of the game It was then Ashley MacCarthy who scored only a few minutes later in the 38th minute of the game to make it 3-0 There was no signs of slowing down in the second half for Boro a double from Rose in the 69th and 73rd minute made it a very good day at the office for the away side Boro were looking to get back to winning ways after drawing 2-2 in their previous game Whilst Whickham were coming off a 4-0 loss in their last game against Newcastle Benfield A whipped cross into the box met the head of Thompson who opened the scoring early on in the game a ball over the top put Rose through on goal who slotted it past the keeper to double the lead Boro Rangers extended their lead before half time with another long ball which tested the Whickham defence A wayward header from the defender fell to MacCarthy who put it over the goalkeepers head with a composed finish Rangers pushed for a fourth goal to secure the win This came from a penalty kick which was placed into the bottom right hand corner from Rose The Whickham defence were cut open yet again only a few minutes later A ball across the box to Rose was smashed home to complete his hattrick and secure all three points Watch as Blue Star’s Dan Lanning grabbed a goal and an assist The win saw Blue Star rise to 5th in the Division One table and the newly-promoted outfit sit 13 points off second Whickham meanwhile are slumped in 20th position and are still yet to get going this season despite the departure of manager Lee Haldane back in September Tony Fawcett will be hoping his side find a run of form soon otherwise they risk falling further down the table The last North East side to win the FA Vase at the old Wembley stadium we remember the heroes who helped overturn a 2-0 deficit in the final against Willenhall Town We take a look at their fairy tale story through the eyes of Billy Cawthra non-league expert Mark Carruthers and lifelong fan Steven Peareth there is set to be a celebration of the event with former players and fans commemorating the win by watching the match footage at the club meeting Sir Matt Busby and returning to a mass crowd in small Whickham Cawthra reveals his side’s unique experience of winning the FA Vase With the community boost a club can receive from lifting the FA Vase Mark Carruthers explained why the competition is so much more than just another tournament because we should never ever forget that these are normal lads who go work 9-5 or whatever they work during the week Carruthers continued with the reason behind why the Vase is special to the players as well as the fans He affirmed: “The reaction of some of those players some of which have been in the pro game or released by academies probably thought their dream of playing at Wembley had gone so it always just feels a little bit more special for me because of that.” Despite an expectation of nerves in the build-up to the final Whickham had already played in a cup final at St Cawthra explains why his side didn’t get nervous He stated: “The week before was a bit hectic to say the least with games to still be played and everybody still wanting to get a few training sessions in so we didn’t really get time to get nervous.” The forward revealed the atmosphere of that famous side and the attitude they had going into the final He said: “We had that was sort of club where nobody was better than the other and we were amongst it together and it was a great atmosphere we had you’d go over and you’d tell them it’s alright don’t worry we’ll get there so being a little bit older you did a little bit of chivvying on which is good.” Cawthra admits that his side’s achievements should never be overlooked explaining that the congestion of fixtures and lower league status is what makes it so great He proudly announced: “We were in the Wearside league it was a fantastic feat because it was two below the Northern League so we were playing games nearly every other night because we had the Wearside League the County Cup; we were playing a lot of games.” The Whickham striker highlighted the atmosphere in the crowd as one of the main things he remembered He revealed: “They just opened the side where the winning side lifts the cup After going 2-0 down within the first 10 minutes Willenhall Town seemed to already have one hand on the trophy Billy admitted: “Well it did knock us there’s no doubt about that because they were mistakes to be fair revitalised the North East side with their opponent’s goalkeeper forced to go to hospital after a head clash with Cawthra Ronnie Williamson then sent the game to extra-time shortly before the hour mark but Cawthra confessed he perhaps could have scored as extra-time loomed He said: “To be fair I missed a few really good chances which I look back at now and think ‘what were you doing’ but sometimes that is because you’re playing where you’re playing and such a high-status game so you go a little bit quicker than you should.” Cawthra made amends in the first half of extra-time by running from the halfway line before smashing the ball at goal with the defender on the line unable to block it Cawthra described the moment: “As I hit it their full-back flew across the line and helped it in which was going in on its own everyone just went mental which was great because the crowds were just going bananas so that was real good fun.” That goal was enough for the victory with major celebrations from the travelling Whickham fans and the players now focused on collecting their trophy in front of Sir Matt Busby the Manchester United legend had some funny words for Cawthra after he noticed bruising on his face He described the moment: “Going back to when I said we had played a cup final the Monday beforehand someone had punched me in the face reports came in that Whickham had a massive turnout with Cawthra revealing his recollection of the celebration parade He said: “We were thinking there was going to be loads of people there instead there was just one guy and his dog but the dog did have a black and white scarf on so we weren’t after that expecting anything and as we came in it was just unbelievable there was just loads of people you knew Steven Peareth remembers the day fondly and despite missing the first two goals he reminisces about the atmosphere when Whickham completed their comeback singing and dancing and then when the winner went in the place just erupted it was just brilliant The building was originally an old 1960/70’s convenience store turned into The Crown The brief for re-imagining of this site in Whickham was that it needed to offer something different and exciting to their new target demographic of 25-43 year olds with the contractor Swandene and designers JMDA the doors to this unrecognisable transformation opened on 13th December 2021 the Capex and Acquisitions Manager from Blackrose called the project an “unrecognisable transformation.” industrial/urban interior with a make do and mend vibe they uncovered structural elements within the space such as exposing the structural concrete ceilings and brick walls revealing wiring and copper pipework to create this aesthetic as well as sourcing furniture and lighting pieces that all work together to create a lived-in and worn ambience the material palette chosen is somewhat eccentric in order to accentuate the upcycled feel Upholstery fabrics range from vibrant digital printed velvets to aged leathers Reclaimed scaffold boards are used throughout the scheme to give an industrial feel which work in-tandem with perforated steel reeded glass and resin finishes which are all softened by LED filament lighting The urban theme is emphasised through the addition of colourful backstreet graffiti artwork applied throughout the spaces with the graphic content giving a nod to the local area and the Northeast By working closely with the Blackrose marketing team they were able to ensure the interior design newly designed website and punchy logo all created a strong brand identity the name of the new venue was chosen by the client was deliberately designed to be slightly provocative and edgy making it memorable and instantly recognisable on social media platforms Their brief also extended to a large upstairs event space which has been converted from a nondescript party room to an outside space using festoon lighting AstroTurf type flooring and large A-frame benches all providing a great space for football and music events all year round scaffold board vanity with concrete look top and industrial feature mirrors carry on the urban theme Talked of as a “chameleon” pub because of the variation it offers the business is open all day with a coffee and breakfast offer attracting the morning rush which then morphs into a lunch time food and drink space eventually becoming a lively night-time venue when required alongside a selection of cask and craft beers and ‘rocktails’ – their own take on classic cocktails the venue has already committed to weekly theme nights to bring in the local clientele Irlam FC overcame 1981 FA Vase winners Whickham AFC winning 1-0 in the North-East to progress into the fourth round proper of this season’s competition Nicholas Taylor’s first-half strike proved decisive as the Salford-based side ensured that their impressive FA Vase run would extend into the New Year John Main’s men have been drawn away to a team in the North-East Irlam will have to successfully negotiate a tricky tie against Blyth Town if they are to progress into the last sixteen of the competition Blyth Town secured their fourth round place in dramatic fashion beating higher league opponents Bishop Auckland 3-1 on penalties last weekend Blyth reached the fourth round of the FA Vase for the first time in the club’s relatively short history Founded in 1995 ‘The Braves’ have enjoyed a successful start to their league campaign and currently occupy 2nd position in the Northern League Division Two The Northumberland outfit represents the fifth team Irlam has drawn against in this year’s cup run Irlam moved yet another step closer to a Wembley final in May A trip to the capital could be on the horizon for the North West Counties Premier League team if they can maintain their winning form in the FA Vase come 2024 John Main must keep his side focused on the task at hand If Irlam are to beat Blyth they will have to get the better of three more opponents if they are to book their place in this season’s final Irlam FC’s tie with Blyth Town will take place on the 13th of January as the FA Vase adventure continues for John Main’s side Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" sport and entertainment from around Salford – produced by students from The University of Salford’s Journalism Department Please call the Salford Now editor on 0161 295 2220 if you have a story or query You can also contact us at now@salford.ac.uk or DM one of our social media accounts Salford Now is run for educational purposes and is not a commercial website The University of Salford denies any responsibility for and / or knowledge of content on this website Whickham FC will play in the Durham Challenge Cup final in hopes of winning the competition for the first time in 18 years Eighteen years on from the only other time they’ve won the competition Whickham FC are heading to the Stadium of Light for the final of the Durham Challenge Cup to take on West Auckland Town The occasion is not lost on Whickham’s Chairman Ross Gregory who told me “It’s huge for the club We’ve not been in this particular final or many other finals recently.” Whickham may not have made many finals recently but this season have held their own across their competitions Having good runs within cup competitions and being in the hunt for a top half league finish has culminated in a positive season for the North-East side “The clubs had a really good season in terms of cup runs and cup competitions we were the last North-East representative in the FA Vase,” Ross added The fans at Whickham have not disappointed this season with their support putting in some serious miles to follow the players home and away Forming ‘ultras’ groups and making the noise to help push the team on the pitch Ross told me “The atmosphere that they have helped create and helped generate at some of our games this season We’ve got a really young group of fans now a hardcore kind of under 16’s They call themselves the Whickham Ultras and they’re brilliant “They come with their drums and their flags They’ve put some hard yards in as well like I say going to Emerly earlier in the season in the Vase It would be great to see them making the noise and filling the Stadium of Light with noise and hopefully we give them something to shout about.” “Well the clubs been very well supported this season and also for the final We’ve got a set called the Wickham Ultras that are around 14-15 years old and travel home and away “For this game a young lad whose head of them has put on a 90 seater bus for him and his friends to get to the final They’ve also done it for Emerly in the FA Vase Whickham could be just 90 minutes away from bringing some silverware to the club for the first time in over a decade Ross may be chairman of the club now but the last time they won the Durham Challenge Cup he was part of the coaching team and told me how he would love the current group to experience what he did that day it was 2005/6 the last time we won that trophy so I’ve got really good memories of it I still remember the celebrations afterwards on the pitch and in the changing rooms back at the club in the afternoon and through into the night “You want to be able to give that experience to the rest of the club and to the rest of the players There are a lot of local lads in the team now so hopefully they’ll remember some of the good times we’ve had as a club and they’ll be inspired to bring home the trophy for the local town and for the fans and the club.” has scored over 50 goals for the club this season an impressive number at any level of the game His goals have helped to guide Whickham to this final and I spoke with Ross about the impact of having such a prolific player in the side This season in particular and probably the last six weeks two months or so he’s been on fire; everything he has touched has turned into goals “It’s like any standard of football if you’ve got someone at the top end of the pitch who is going to put the ball in the back of the net it sometimes doesn’t matter how well you’re playing or if you’re on top or struggling If you’ve got someone who can turn a half chance into a goal if you know you’ve got a threat at that top end it’s massive for any club.” especially in a ground with the pedigree of the Stadium of Light will be a first for many of Whickham’s players but Ross hopes they use the opportunity to enjoy the game and occasion “It’s [the final] being played at the Stadium of Light a fantastic venue for the club and fantastic for the players to experience playing in a professional stadium a Championship stadium and Premier League stadium in all but name it’s a fantastic achievement for the players and they’ll hopefully savour the occasion.” The Lang Jacks return to home soil when they welcome struggling Bishop Auckland to The First Mortgage Glebe this Saturday Whickham who are without a manager sit in 13th place after only two wins in their last eight in the league following last Saturdays 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle Benfield Bishop Auckland are currently second bottom with only goal-difference separating them from the foot of the table The away side have only two league wins in 14 coming into the game with Whickham taking all three points in the reverse fixture back in August The away team are without a clean sheet since the opening game of the season and have conceding 16 goals in their last six league matches – a stat Whickham striker Zak Atkinson will be hoping to add to their defensive frailties Zak scored the equaliser for Whickham the last time these two teams met before Declan Bisset’s winner Whichham’s top goalscorer who has two goals in as many games is hoping the squad can turn a corner and start climbing the league table beginning with a victory against Bishop Auckland this weekend Zak said: ‘’There have been many times this season the game could have been killed off but we’ve not taken our chances which is partially my fault as I’m in the team to score goals but also others who have missed chances’’  ‘’You can see in the dressing room the lads are frustrated we’ve got big players who have played in big teams and won things – as a group we’re not used to be down the bottom end of the table but I’ve no doubt we will get it right and start climbing the table’’ ‘’I’ve played in this league for a lot of years now and one of the reasons everyone loves the Northern League is because every team can beat any other team on their day All it takes is our luck to start changing which will then breed a bit of confidence into the lads and once you start putting runs  together you can easily go from 13th to fourth or fifth in the table’’ There are no new injury concerns for Whickham but will be without Captain Ross Peareth again who’s serving his third of a four game ban Whickham are back in action after a two-week break The home team welcome Whitley Bay to the First Mortgage Glebe on Saturday Tony Fawcett’s team will be looking to kick start 2022 with a victory The Whickham manager knows the tough challenge his former team will pose.  Tony said: “There has been a change-over in players since I stopped managing there They will move the ball well and create chances They will be organised and will be tough to beat so they’ll be looking to roll their sleeves up and try and get back to winning ways “We feel it will be a really difficult game where they come and play a lot of football against us We will have to work really hard and outsmart them.” Whitley Bay come into the fixture having lost their last five league games The visitors have shipped 23 goals in the process.  The Bay’s last victory was an impressive 3-2 comeback away from home against Redcar Athletic.  The Lang Jacks will be looking to keep up their impressive home form having won all five league games at the Glebe since the arrival of Fawcett and his backroom staff.  Whickham come into the game following a 3-2 away defeat to Guisborough Town left the Lang Jacks with too much to do in the second half.  have had a busy festive period recruiting four new players Kaleb Young and Callum Elliott will all be available to make their home debuts.  Fawcett is delighted with the new additions he added: “Jamie will give us everything he’s got every game he gets stuck-in and he’ll chip in with a few goals.  I’ve been really impressive with Kaleb earlier in the season I’ve been monitoring him all season.  “He will add a lot of quality to our midfield and add tough competition for the lads who are already there “Callum Elliott is a defender we feel we are a little bit shy in defence we feel he will add real quality to our squad.  he’s been out in America for four years and it might only be for short term He’s an attacking midfielder and can play any of the three-attacking positions for me I feel he’s better higher up the pitch Fawcett has explained all players within the team will need to fight for their position.  He added: “Everytime we offer someone to come and join our squad they sign knowing that it isn’t without competition.  “Any club to be successful you need to have the drive and determination there will be someone chomping at the bit to get your place everyone will have a good attitude about how they play.  “The lads coming in know there is competition and they have to oust some good players to get in the starting eleven they’ve got to play well to keep that shirt.” Whickham have a fully fit squad to choose from The only absentee will be top goalscorer Zak Atkinson the striker is serving a ban following his red card against West Auckland Town.  Both teams are separated by only three points should the Lang Jacks claim all three points on Saturday they could climb up to eighth in the league table.  Significant changes are being made to the layout of the course at Whickham Golf Club near Newcastle-upon-Tyne Andrew Mair’s Golf Design firm is leading the project “The development is the result of an area of our course becoming unmaintainable due to an inability to drain particularly following the climatic changes that have drenched our land since 2011,” Greatbatch explained “We discovered that water was not reaching our drains and remaining close to the surface causing us to abandon play during winter and all but very dry periods in summer.” Greatbatch explained that two holes were particularly effected and that members voted in favour of closing the affected area and creating a development plan to develop two new holes for the course Mair’s firm have designed the two new holes and remodeled the existing sixteenth hole converting it from a par four to a par five the reworked sixteenth will be tightened up with the fairway being narrowed strategically,” Greatbatch explained “Two traps at 240 yards left and 260 yards right of the fairway from the tee have increased the degree of difficulty Three more traps approaching the green to the right side provide significant protection for the approach with all but accuracy being rewarded The sixteenth is now a testing risk or reward hole for the closing stretch This hole came into play on 1 April 2015 and has contributed to adding a stroke to make the course a par 69.”  What will become the new fourth hole is a testing 340-yard par four with a dogleg to the right The new fifth hole will measure 205 yards and will be a par three Work will also be carried out to blend the existing third and fourth holes and create a 540-yard par five hole but will pause for the 2015 playing season This part of the project is set to be completed in late 2015 with a view to opening for play in April 2016 The club will also be rebranding and changing its name to Hollinside Park in a bid to attract more visitors “We want to present members with a course that will be both testing and enjoyable,” Greatbatch added “The legacy we hope to present is of a course that can be enjoyed by golfers of all levels This is our main product and as such should be as good as we can make it for future generations We gratefully played previous course layouts set down by our founders over 100 years ago Golf has developed in that time and our aim is to leave a course to be enjoyed beyond the next century.” Whickham continued their impressive form with a 1-0 home victory to Newton Aycliffe Declan Bisset scored the only goal of the game after 10 minutes – his free-kick from the wide left evaded everyone and crept into Adam Pickford’s bottom corner A fantastic crowd turned out to support both teams on what was a cold wet Friday evening under the floodlights at First Mortgage Glebe Whickham’s backline can only be described as a brick wall for the full 94 minutes limiting Newton Aycliffe only to half chances or efforts from outside the box Whickham almost took the lead through defender Kieron Galbraith in the 9th minute; his goal bound header was cleared off the line by an Aycliffe defender The breakthrough and decisive goal came only a minute later thanks to Bisset’s free kick out on the left The ball was whipped into a crowded penalty area missing everyone and past the unsighted Pickford in goal Newton Aycliffe started to get a foothold in the game half way through the first half but struggled in the final third to create any clear openings Scott Jasper almost doubled the home teams lead following James Anderson’s long kick up field catching out Aycliffe’s backline and Jasper was through on goal his effort forced Pickford into a fine save Zak Atkinson was close to getting his name on the scoresheet after latching onto Jasper’s through ball only for Aycliffe’s right back to intervene before getting his shot away Anderson was a giant between the sticks for Whickham Whickham’s number one was down quickly to deny Adam Burnice at the start of the second-half Anderson was again equal to Jake Petitjean’s free kick on the edge of the box palming the ball over the bar for a corner As Newton Aycliffe pushed for an equaliser they left gaps open at the back – Whickham almost capitalising through substitute Scott Robson the skilful winger’s effort forced Pickford into a neat save Jack Robson and Atkinson also had chances in the final few minutes but neither could find the back of the net As the final couple of minutes were coming to a close Aycliffe thought they had a penalty through Reay The striker went down in the area following a Tomas Howard challenge Referee Helen Conley waved play on and Whickham cleared their lines tough tackling battle at The Glebe in which the referee was kept busy throughout – Whickham’s Captain Ross Peareth was shown yellow early in the second half for a late challenge Cautions were also handed out to defenders Jack Moody and Galbraith The away side were not shy of a yellow card themselves with Joe Ferguson and Ardelean going into the referee’s book The victory takes Whickham into 9th place in the Northern League with Redcar Athletic next up for Tony Fawcett’s side After the game Adam Tones spoke with Man of the Match James Anderson reflecting on the game and the teams new set-up he said:‘’ I thought it was a proper team performance we’ve not played a lot of football but defensively we are solid communicating and I like to organise the players having the wing backs just adds to that communication.’’ When asked if this was his best performance over the last three weeks the others games I’ve pulled off one or two basic saves which is down to the organisation and the whole team being solid as the defence starts from the front moving the ball fast and broke us down well but we stayed solid and everyone put a shift in.’’ Credit: RSPCA Two pet rats were dumped in a communal bin outside a block of flats The RSPCA condemned those responsible for leaving the animals in a domestic waste bin outside the flats in Whickham They were found by a workman at about 10:30am last Wedneday 27 September in Bowness Road It is not known how long the animals had been inside but one of the female rats had started to eat the other The surviving rodent was seen by a vet and is now recovering at the charity’s York Harrogate and District Branch animal centre RSPCA inspector Lucy Green said: “These pet rats had literally been thrown out with the rubbish with absolutely no thought whatsoever for their welfare It must have been an extremely upsetting sight for the person who found them “There’s no excuse for abandoning animals in circumstances like this and we’d appeal to anyone with first-hand information to come forward.”   Since the beginning of 2020 the RSPCA has received 1,861 reports to its cruelty line about rats in need In March this year, four of the animals were left in a sodden cage in plummeting temperatures in Wallsend, North Tyneside untreated masses and were put to sleep on veterinary advice while the remaining pair were rehomed by the charity said: “Pet rats are very active and intelligent and need plenty of space and lots to do to help prevent boredom setting in “When provided with the right environment they can make fantastic companions They’re incredibly sociable animals so they always need rat friends to live with but many also enjoy interacting with people too Some owners have trained them to fetch a ball or even give a high-five!" Anyone with information about the incident in Whickham is being urged to contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018 quoting reference number 01160046 Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. Whickham came from behind to beat Seaham Red Star at The Glebe on Friday evening Tom Lawson opened the scoring for Red Star in the first half before it was cancelled out by a Scott Robson penalty The Whickham winner was scored by Tom Romano deep into the second half The victory for Whickham allows for the chance to secure a highest ever Northern League finish of sixth if defeat is avoided against Redcar next week The match was played to a high intensity from the off as Seaham played the better football in the early stages Fifteen minutes in Alex Nelson sold Kyle Seymour short with a pass back to goal which Lawson almost intercepted but the young goalkeeper got there first and just about cleared the ball Seaham took the lead 10 minutes later as early substitute Morgan Dart crossed from the left which went low into the six yard box and Lawson tapped in Three minutes later The Lang Jacks were awarded a penalty as Robson was adjudged to have been fouled inside the area however there were no appeals from anyone Robson stepped up and dispatched it down the middle to score his 49th goal in Whickham colours Whickham began to up the ante and minutes later Romano dribbled into the box before having a go which struck the post After the break Seaham almost found an equaliser as Mark Robinson fed through Lawson but Kyle Seymour made a tremendous one-on-one stop with his leg to keep his side ahead Seaham then hit the bar as Mark Robsinson caused problems once again by dribbling through a couple of players and striking from outside the box Two minutes later Craig Hennis found a yard of space to shoot inside the Whickham penalty area but Alex Nelson remarkably dived in front to block the ball and deny a dangerous opportunity Red Star kept on pushing and this time Bryan Taylor carried the ball from left back to a position outside the box where he shot and forced a tremendous athletic save from Seymour who tipped it over the bar – all round quality from both South Shields youngsters The bar was struck again shortly after as Mark Robinson delivered a corner which Max Nelson met and his looping header hit the upside of the bar The winner was found five minutes from time and went the way of Whickham as Romano drove at tremendous pace and into the box where he hit a shot at some velocity into the bottom corner for his fourth goal in eight matches Robson nearly got his second with the last kick of the game as he latched onto a long ball A tense battle with little in the way of chances resulted in a goalless draw between Seaham Red Star and Whickham AFC at the Independent Utility Advise Arena Both sides came into the fixture in difficult form Max Nelson shone with a spirited defensive performance for Red Star as he also provided plenty of attacking intent especially from the hosting manager Mark Collingwood neither side could find a breakthrough and will both look to rebound with away fixtures at Tow Law Town and Ashington Seaham made three changes from their midweek defeat at Newcastle Benfield whereas Whickham made double that following their FA Vase exit away to Holker Old Boys The hosts had the first chance of the afternoon 20 minutes in as some neat play down the right-hand side allowed Joe Hailes into the area but his clever cut-back was turned over the bar by the in-form Morgan Dart Most of the first half was a feeling out process for both teams Neither side were able to build many coherent moves with both benches showing some frustration Whickham tried to force the issue from set pieces with the majority being safely collected by Andrew Jennison in the Red Star goal Centre back Nelson attempted to make it two goals in as many games with a 25-yard drilled effort that needed to be parried away by keeper Nathan Harker Early in the second half it was Seaham who were on the front foot Nelson again involved as he diverted a left sided corner just wide of the post The visitors responded on 49 minutes as Scott Jasper slipped Gareth Garside in behind to strike at goal but Jennison made himself big for the save After a long spell without any opportunities but plenty of keen play Whickham came agonisingly close to opening the scoring Sam Dibb-Fuller’s effort from the left side of the area was saved and then substitute Joey Smith latched on to the rebound only to see his shot blocked brilliantly by the Red Star defender The remainder of the game saw plenty of hard work but very little in quality as both sides left with a point neither truly deserving of winning on the day The Lang Jacks welcome eleventh place Crook Town to the First Mortgage Glebe on Saturday hoping for another positive result following victory against Seaham Red Star Crook Town have lost their last four in the league but have since had 10 days rest following last weekends postponed fixture – their previous match ended in a heavy defeat to North Shields who managed to get their first clean sheet in nine league games last time out will be looking to take advantage of Crook’s defence – The visitors have not kept a clean sheet since the start of September and shipped 16 goals in their last four matches The Lang Jacks got off to a flying start under new manager Tony Fawcett – helped by a notable change in formation making the team more organised as well as being difficult to break down Whickham completed the signings of striker Scott Jasper midfielder Dean Gallagher as well as defender Jack Moody in time for last weekend’s match against Seaham Red Star – all three making their home debuts in front of the watching Lang Jack supporters The home side will welcome back captain Ross Peareth after completed his four match suspension following a straight red card away to West Allotment Celtic Meanwhile Whickham will give late fitness tests to Kieron Galbraith and Jack Robson prior to the game with both players currently carrying a knock Victory for Whickham will see them leap frog Crook Town in the league as well as a place back in the top half of the table should results go in favour of the Lang Jacks The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response There has been reports of a gas explosion at a property on Whickham Street The gas explosion was first reported at 3:45pm on 15 February A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) spokesperson said: “We can confirm crews are in attendance at an address on Whickham Street after reports of a gas explosion at a property “Four appliances are currently at the scene along with our Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) vehicle Residents in the area are advised to follow the direction of firefighters and police who are currently at the scene.” 🚨INCIDENT🚨We can confirm we have responded to reports of a gas explosion on Whickham Street in #Roker.We have four appliances at the scene along with our Aerial Ladder Platform vehicle. If you live in the area please listen to the advice of our crews and @northumbriapol. pic.twitter.com/FiW6Zq8g9e who lives next door to the building said: “I got a phone call from my cousin who lives in the flat and I was visiting my son and I just got a phone call and they said is your dad at home and my dad lives directly next door They sent me a picture and I couldn’t believe it “I rushed down here and I managed to get in touch with him and picked him up from work but from what they have said at the scene Emergency services are at the scene and NE Ambulance have confirmed that two casualties have been transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries Tyne and Wear Fire Service Group Manager said: “There are a number of properties here We have worked with Police collegeus to identify who was in the surrounding premises and evacuate them very quickly We have worked with Sunderland local authority to make sure the individuals will be re-homed somewhere safe and warm while all the other structural surveillance is done both the front and rear walls are missing from that premiss All the roof tiles have come off from the roof and the property below will be unoccupiable for a period of time Our concerns are we have two storms coming so we will be cordoning off the area but we ask people to keep a safe distance from it especially as those winds pick up.” We will follow through with further updates as we have more information © University of Sunderland  2025Spark is licensed by Ofcom and PRSfor Music Magic Springs has released two performers of the lineup for their 23rd annual Summer Concert Series at Timberwood Amphitheater (PHOTO: Magic Springs Theme and Water Park) (KATV) — Magic Springs has released two performers of the lineup for their 23rd annual Summer Concert Series at Timberwood Amphitheater Christian worship artist Phil Whickham will kickoff the concert series on June 7 followed by country artist Clay Walker who will take the stage on June 14 “Sharing live concert experiences with our guests are some of our most memorable highlights each year,” said Jessyka Hanna general manager of Magic Springs Theme and Water Park “We are proud to offer performances by accomplished artists across a mix of genres making every Saturday of the summer a family entertainment value that’s hard to top.” a #1 Billboard Top Christian Albums (I Believe) and a multiple week #1 single on Billboard ("This Is Our God") He also boasts hundreds of millions of streams across his 10 full-length projects He has a new song releasing later this month titled "The King is in the Room" "What's It to You" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart which include a greatest hits package and a Christmas album Walker is also a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame He has graced audiences across the country with his electrifying performances and plans to release new music throughout the year The 2025 Concert Series will feature no less than 10 performances through August 31 One-day park tickets and season passes include admission and lawn seating More options for tickets will be released throughout the year Details about ticket-on-sale dates will be released in March Season passes can be purchased for six payments of $10.50 or $62.99 for four plus A one-day general admission to the park is $59.99 plus tax on weekends Group rates and catered events will also be available Click here to learn more about Magic Springs ticket Includes reports from Maggie Hathaway and Apogee interviews with Martin Ebert and Dave Axland and a feature on golf art New issue asks whether the golf boom has led to an increase in municipal golf investment Jeremy Pern and Gregori International are creating the first 18-hole course in the West African country on an ‘almost perfect’ site that also includes a sacred grove and voodoo shrines Mike Clayton discusses Alister MacKenzie’s transformative impact on Australian golf and how clubs can avoid repeating previous mistakes by establishing a long-term plan focused on indigenous plants The reconstruction of the nine-hole course in Los Angeles is the golf industry at its best Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL Justin Olmstead of Profile Products talks about the relationships behind the renovation of Crooked Stick in Indiana The Australian designer has had a long career and Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road Florida course is a tribute to the Golden Age designs of Raynor and Macdonald Is the beauty of bunkering being over-emphasised at the expense of its function John Moran and Rand Jerris share insight into their book about Seth Raynor’s design at Chicago Golf Club The first of two Golfplan-designed courses at club near Ho Chi Minh City has opened for play Brad Klein reports on a Phil Smith Design renovation in Sedona Which course has Sandy the gopher visited this month?