Bedale AFC 1 Thirsk Falcons 1

GUESTS of honour at this North Riding premier league match were Graham and Rory Ambrose, who travelled from Berwick on Tweed.

Graham and his late wife Kathleen had visited all 92 English football league grounds and as a family, have completed 40 of the 44 Scottish grounds. Graham and his son have already driven down to many Northern League grounds but this was their first visit to a level seven club. Graham runs the Berwick Rangers club shop, while Rory plays for their U14 team.

It was Rory’s fascination with the series of Heck sausage themed football kits worn by Bedale AFC that eventually persuaded his dad to make the 250-mile round trip. Rory joined in the Bedale AFC warm up and then led the teams out for the match.

Graham said: "We were treated like royalty from the moment we arrived, and Rory was over the moon to be presented with one of the original sausage shirts as a souvenir and to be able to get kitted out and warm up with the first team. The hospitality in the bar after the game was second to none and all the players and officials made such a big fuss of us. The food, provided by Heck and cooked offsite by the Green Dragon in Bedale was some of the best we have had on our travels."

Rory Ambrose in the dugout at the Heck Stadium

Rory Ambrose in the dugout at the Heck Stadium

Rory added: "It was great to be able warm up with the team in my sausage kit and to do the toss up with the captains. I will treasure the moment at Bedale for the rest of my life."

The game finished 1-1, with Thirsk taking the lead through Dan Barwick, only to be pegged back by a George Fawcett strike for Bedale.

Bedale AFC’s next fixture is away to Thornaby Dubliners on Saturday, kick off 2pm.

Burley Trojans 4 Bedale AFC Reserves 4

BEDALE started very slowly and conceded a goal when Sam Fox scored for Trojans, but equalised on 15 minutes when a shot hit the bar and rebounded to Raiden Smithson Hogg, who crossed to the back post for John Henry to head home.

Henry put Bedale into a half time lead with a free kick just outside the Trojans' penalty area to the right of goal.

Bedale were very lethargic at the start of the second half and conceded a penalty when Sam Lyons handled the ball. Fox scored for Trojans for 2-2. Shortly after Bedale were gifted a goal when the Trojans' 'keeper threw the ball out to Bedale’s Harry Riordan on the edge of his area. He smashed the ball back into the Trojans' goal off the post.

Trojans' hit back and scored twice through Matt Hastings and Robbie Oldham, with Bedale being caught out twice on the counter attack coupled with some poor defending. But Bedale dug deep and forced a corner. Smithson Hogg's perfect delivery was headed home by man of the match Henry to complete his hat trick and give his side a share of the points.

The Reserves' next fixture is away to Boro Rangers Reserves in round two of the North Riding Saturday Challenge Cup on Saturday, kick off 2pm.