On Wednesday evening, Albion make the journey to Millfield for the first time since the 2019/20 season to face Crook Town in the Durham Challenge Cup 1st Round. The Black & Amber sit in 18th place in Division One but recently went on a four game winning run including a win over Northern Premier League Newton Aycliffe in the Preliminary Round of this competition to haul themselves off the bottom of the table, but were brought back down to earth in their last game, a 6-1 home thumping off Penrith.

We’ve faced Crook four times in cup competitions before- a 3-1 home defeat in the League Cup 1st Round back in 2005/06 swiftly followed by a 2-1 home defeat in the FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round in the same campaign. In the 2009/10 season we also met in two separate cup ties, Crook winning an FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round match 1-0 at Kingsley Park, but Ryton had the last laugh, winning a Durham Challenge Cup Semi-Final game 1-0 in Crook, a win that sent us to the County Cup final against Billingham Synthonia.

The last time the sides met in any capacity was in the aborted 2020/21 season when Crook won a Division 2 fixture 5-2 at RACA, Callum Turnbull and Matty Slee on target for Albion that October evening.

Kick off on Wednesday is at 7:30pm & the address for the sat nav is The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield, West Road, Crook, County Durham, DL15 9PW if you fancy your cup fix.

Tuesday’s Durham Challenge Cup Results

Chester-le-Street Town 0 Birtley Town 3

Sunderland RCA 1 (Ward) Shildon 3

Sunderland West End 0 Horden CW 6

Whickham 0 Tow Law Town 1 (Prudhoe)

Tuesday’s Northumberland Senior Cup Result

Newcastle Benfield 2 AFC Newbiggin 2 (Smith, Higgins) Benfield win 5-4 on penalties