Match Information
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Chester-le-Street United 0-4 Billingham Synthonia
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When: Saturday 27th April 2024
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: Riverside, Chester-le-Street, County Durham DH3 3SH
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Competition: Northern League Division Two
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Attendance: 92
I had worked in my Championship reporter role at an 8pm kick-off pairing Queens Park Rangers against Leeds United on the Friday night - an encounter that saw plenty of football betting and online betting.
Yet I was up early next morning looking for a Non-League match to attend. Northern League fixtures were still ongoing in late April because they received special Football Association dispensation to extend their season.
This was caused by exceptional circumstances whereby the extremely wet weather brought widespread postponements of games throughout the campaign.
Accordingly, Chester-le-Street United captured my attention having made rapid progress since being formed as a community club just four years ago embracing numerous youth sides ranging from primary school age upwards.
After gaining first team promotion via the Wearside League, it is now United’s second season in the Northern League Division Two at Step 6 of our national Non-League Pyramid.
Scheduled opponents were Billingham Synthonia – a club name always fascinating me! The truly unique Synthonia suffix cleverly shortens “Synthetic Ammonia” referencing an agricultural product manufactured by ICI, the traditional main employer in Billingham.
I enjoy vivid memories of my groundhop to Billingham Synthonia’s beautiful Central Avenue home for a 2-1 victory over Brandon United on 2nd April 1994 (attendance 352).
What really stood out was the massive 2,000 capacity elevated grandstand exuding Football League quality. Unfortunately, Synthonia left that hugely impressive venue in 2017 due to colossal maintenance costs and have groundshared beyond then.
Bearing everything in mind, I embarked on my 500 mile round trip straight up the A1 to Chester-le-Street which is a County Durham market town housing 24,000 residents.
I’d been to the area before to take in a match at the longer-established Northern League outfit Chester-le-Street Town FC on 18th April 1992 (1-1 versus Durham City at Chester Moor Park, attendance 394).
Ground Description
An oval shaped multi-sport arena adjacent to Durham County Cricket Club’s stadium and the Durham County Football Association headquarters building. Car parking is available in pay-and-display bays outside.
Chester-le-Street United utilise a two-storey pavilion set back from the touchline providing a bar (the ‘United Lounge’) and viewing balcony upstairs plus dressing rooms underneath and some uncovered terracing.
Most matchday supporters watched on the raised balcony with towering cricket floodlights behind them. Spectator access was also allowed pitchside where I positioned myself inside the synthetic running track whilst avoiding the long jump and hammer throw sections.
In addition, a 50-seater portable grandstand (unusually on wheels!) is named ‘The Gary Brown Stand’ and sits in one corner. Up to date confirmed line-ups were displayed handwritten on a white board.
Programme Details
A 20 page online edition. Incidentally, the host club said they will send me a printed version of this programme for my extensive Non-League football memorabilia collection.
The contents included welcome notes by enthusiastic club chairman Lewis Pendleton, pre-match preview, a player profile, the manager’s column, squad sponsorship details, youth team news, Billingham Synthonia history, visiting player pen pictures and a Northern League round-up.
I particularly liked the article describing how pop singer Mackenzie Sol - a former aspiring footballer holding links to Chester-le-Street United’s original youth ranks – had sensationally reached the latter televised stages of American Idol.
The Match
On a chilly but dry day, it was 19th entertaining 7th in the Northern League Division Two table.
Billingham Synthonia ran out worthy winners courtesy of strikes by Lewis Porritt (23 minutes) and Matthew Willshaw three (46, 61, 71 mins).
His hat-trick took Willshaw to 34 goals for 2023/24 as the division’s second highest marksman.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
