The Northern Football League have announced that the new 2023-24 season will start on Saturday, July 29, with the fixture list to be released in due course.
The traditional season opener – the Cleator Cup – will be held at Newton Aycliffe on Saturday, July 22, between Aycliffe and Boro Rangers.
Meanwhile, the first rounds of the Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup and the Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup competitions will be drawn at the league’s AGM on Saturday, June 17.
The Football Association has today released the list of teams allocated to Steps 5 and 6 of the National League System for the 2023-24 season, including for the Ebac Northern Football League’s two divisions.
With Newton Aycliffe and Ashington promoted into Step 4, relegated duo North Shields and Shildon will join Division One along with Boro Rangers and Birtley Town, who were both promoted from the second division. Pickering Town have been transferred to the Northern Counties East League.
While the first division remains at 20 teams, Division Two has expanded to 22 teams for the new season. Thornaby were relegated from the NL’s top tier and they will be joined by the newly-promoted trio of FC Hartlepool, Newcastle Blue Star and Yarm & Eaglescliffe from the Wearside, Northern Alliance and North Riding leagues respectively.
Willington were the only club to be relegated from the second division with reprieves for Sunderland West End and Washington.
The allocations are subject to FA Council ratification.
Blue Star are based at Scotswood, Hartlepool play at the Grayfields Enclosure and Yarm will share Billingham Town’s Bedford Terrace.
The new campaign is expected to begin on Saturday 29th July with the fixtures due to be released soon after the league’s AGM, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday 17th June.
Ebac Northern League Division One: Birtley Town, Bishop Auckland, Boro Rangers, Carlisle City, Crook Town, Guisborough Town, Heaton Stannington, Newcastle Benfield, Northallerton Town, North Shields, Penrith, Redcar Athletic, Seaham Red Star, Shildon, Sunderland RCA, Tow Law Town, West Allotment Celtic, West Auckland Town, Whickham, Whitley Bay.
Ebac Northern League Division Two: Bedlington Terriers, Billingham Synthonia, Billingham Town, Blyth Town, Boldon CA, Brandon United, Chester-le-Street Town, Chester-le-Street United, Easington Colliery, Esh Winning, FC Hartlepool, Horden CW, Jarrow, Newcastle Blue Star, Newcastle University, Prudhoe YC Seniors, Redcar Town, Ryton & Crawcrook Albion, Sunderland West End, Thornaby, Washington, Yarm & Eaglescliffe.
The draw for May’s RACA 100 Club was held on Saturday.
The winners are:
Congratulations to the lucky winners! The next draw is scheduled for June 3, 2023.
To join the RACA 100 Club or for more details, please contact Mr Paul Le-Patourel on 07720413390.
Birtley Town’s penalty shoot-out win in the Ebac Northern League Division Two Play-Off Final over Billingham Town on Monday marked the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
The Hoops will join champions Boro Rangers in Division One next season while at the other end, the bottom three – Willington, Sunderland West End and Washington – are liable to relegation to Step 7.
The final league table:
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion secured their Ebac Northern League Divison Two status with a 4-2 victory over Easington Colliery at Kingsley Park on the final day of the season.
Albion fell behind after Dominic Moan’s 11th-minute penalty but turned the game around with a quick-fire double before the half-hour mark thanks to Antonio Agostinho (27) and Thomas Ions (29). The visitors leveled on the hour mark through Gary Shaw but substitute Harvey Walsh (66) scored two minutes after coming on before Aaron Costello (87) wrapped up the three points for Nathan Beckham’s side in the closing stages.
The win means Albion finish with 41 points from 40 games and can’t now be overtaken by the any of the bottom three sides – Washington, Sunderland West End or Willington – who are all “liable to relegation”.
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion secured a vital 2-0 win over Jarrow at Kingsley Park on Wednesday to go four points clear of the bottom three in the Ebac Northern League Division Two.
In their penultimate game of the season, goals from Thomas Ions from the penalty spot after 20 minutes and another super Josh Skivington strike three minutes later earned RACA a huge win, which also means they climb above their opponents going into their final game against Easington Colliery – also at home – on Saturday.
Albion sit 17th in the table with 38 points from 39 games played and the 1 game left. Jarrow (18th) are a point behind with two games remaining. Washington (19th), who have three games in total and are on 34 points, and Sunderland West End (20th), who have one match left and are on 33 points, currently occupy the relegation zone alongside basement side Willington (21st). The bottom three are “liable for relegation” at the end of the season.
REMAINING FIXTURES:
Thu 20th April: Washington v Bedlington Terriers (7.45pm)
Fri 21st April: Sunderland West End v Redcar Town (7.30pm)
Sat 22nd April: RACA v Easington Colliery, Jarrow v Blyth Town, Washington v Brandon United (all 3pm)
Mon 24th April: Jarrow v Esh Winning (7.30pm)
Tue 25th April: Washington v Blyth Town (7.45pm)
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion were beaten 4-1 by Birtley Town on Saturday in their final away Ebac Northern League Division 2 game of the season.
Albion deservedly went ahead at the Birtley Sports Complex with Josh Skivington’s 14th-minute strike but Glen Hargrave levelled on the half-hour mark. The hosts, who had already qualified for the promotion play offs, nudged ahead at the start of the second half through Matthew Ward before a late brace from Callum Smith (including a penalty) secured the win.
RACA, who sit precariously above the relegation zone in 18th position on 35 points, host Jarrow on Wednesday and Easington Colliery on Saturday in their final fixtures. Sunderland West End (19th) are two points behind with only one game remaining while Washington (20th) are a further two points behind but with four matches left.
Meanwhile, Jarrow are directly above RACA in 17th position in the table on 33 points with a total of three fixtures outstanding including the big head-to-head on Wednesday night.
Ten-man Ryton & Crawcrook Albion earned a 1-1 draw at Boldon on Saturday.
Harvey Walsh’s (3) early strike was cancelled out by the hosts through Christopher Tarn with 20 minutes left after Albion had Kurtis Russell sent off on the hour mark.
The visitors also had Aaron Costello sin binned just before half time.
RACA travel to Birtley Town next on 15 April before finishing the season with home games against Jarrow (19 April) and Easington Colliery (22 April).
The draw for April’s RACA 100 Club was held on Saturday.
The winners are:
Congratulations to the lucky winners! The next draw is scheduled for May 6, 2023.
To join the RACA 100 Club or for more details, please contact Mr Paul Le-Patourel on 07720413390.
A beautiful lob midway through the first half from Kobe Bewicke earned Brandon United a 1-0 win over Ryton & Crawcrook Albion on Wednesday night.
