CUP COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENTS

Cleator Cup date and teams

The league today made a number of announcements about cup competitions for the forthcoming season.

The Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup (for all league clubs) and the Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup (for second division clubs) will both be in a knock-out format, with ties going to penalty shoot-outs if the scores are level after 90 minutes.

Priority will be given league fixtures, with both cups being organised for later in the season.

And the JR Cleator Cup – the traditional season opener for the Ebac Northern League – will be held on Saturday, July 24 and be contested by Hebburn Town and West Auckland.  The match will be held at West Auckland’s ground with a 3pm kick off.

The fixture is usually the champions of the first division pitted against the winners of the League Cup.  However, due to the unique circumstances caused by the pandemic, this was not possible.

Hebburn won the Buildbase FA Vase last month and were leading the first division before the season was curtailed.  West Auckland was the last team to win the League Cup and have just won the Durham Challenge Cup.

League chairman Glenn Youngman said:

“We’re delighted that we are able to organise a fixture to kick-off the new season and we’re grateful to both Hebburn Town and West Auckland for agreeing to take part.

“If all goes according to plan with the Government’s pandemic roadmap, we’ll be able to welcome fans in and it will be great to see spectators at our grounds again.”