Date: Monday, August 30th, 2004

Result: Darlington 1 Cambridge United 1

THE JOURNEY

Departure Time: 9am

Arrival at Ground: With road works suspended, and little evidence of bank holiday traffic, the only real delay on the way up was caused by traffic surrounding a Bank Holiday market that had swamped the roundabout by Blyth Services.

We parked in one of the capacious car parks at the ground at about 12.30pm, where we heard the steward in charge, using all the tact and diplomacy of a Sergeant Major inspecting raw recruits, as he told an underling that he wanted the cars parked in such a way that were no gaps. Quite how this was to be achieved given the gate was not made clear.

AT THE GROUND

The Ground: Although we last visited the ground in March, there were a few changes from that visit - the main one being the removal of all mention of former chairman George Reynolds. The disappearance of the huge lettering on the side of the stadium was the most apparent example of this purge, but there were less obvious signs too; such as the way the staff recoiled, like the characters in the Harry Potter books reacting to the name 'Voldemort', if anyone said Mr Reynolds name out loud.

The other main change related to the press facilities. Unlike last season, when reporters had to work from an executive box close to one corner, the press box has now been fitted out near the half way line. Although it provided an excellent position from which to report, it did lack the ankle deep carpets of the executive areas. You did, however, have to walk past the plush fittings reserved for directors and sponsors. One such area, called 'The Egyptian Room', had all the taste and subtlety of a Las Vegas casino.

A 25,000 capacity stadium with an attendance of only just over 3,000 meant that there were more than a few empty seats. This was just as well when a recalcitrant sprinkler went off in one corner during the match, soaking part of the pitch and a number of empty seats. This brought a lightening response from groundsman and Darlington legend Andrew Thompson who sprinted across the pitch to turn the taps off!

United Fans: Very noisy, they gave the lads plenty of support.

View from Away End: Fantastic and roomy.

Home Fans: In stark contrast to the U's fans, little was heard from the Darlington supporters until they scored. They did have a drummer who sprang into action for corners towards the end of the game. His drumming, which sounded as if the Sioux Nation were about to attack, had the old timers circling the wagons.

Police/Stewards: Patient with United fans who refused to sit, until one travelling supporter pushed his luck too far and saw no more of the match.

Programme: 52 pages for the increasingly standard £2.50 and, among the numerous adverts and photos, the articles were fairly standard too.

Food/Drink: Early arrivals at the ground had two choices; go in and enjoy the facilities offered by one of the best stadia in the division, or indulge in a pint and a bite to eat in the 'Tin Shed' - a friendly bar named after the home terrace at their old Feethams ground.

The food the Tin Shed was reasonably priced, where a tasty helping of hot roast pork and stuffing in a bun went down particularly well. The fare was less tasty in the ground as the pies had been on display for rather too long and were on the Saharan side of dry.

State of Toilets: It wasn't just the sprinkler system that had a mind of its own. The taps in the toilets were much too enthusiastic for many who ended up wetter than when they had gone in. The facilities were clean though; it must have been because the floor was repeatedly washed.

AFTERWARDS

The Journey Home: Traffic on the first part of the journey was considerably less cooperative than it had been on the way to the match; although we were entertained on one section where the zigzagging progress of a police car from lane to lane was rudely interrupted by a seven-foot road sign on the hard shoulder that was less keen to yield to the flashing lights than some of the other traffic.

Mileage: 397.0 miles

Total Distance for Season: 762.2 miles

Mark Johnson, with additional reporting by David Gray, Gordon McMillan and Alison Vickers