A lot of hard work by club members, plus backing from local authorities, has transformed the ground, which includes an excellent second team pitch and, as it's the home of "The Leds," a welcoming bar. (The address is Eden Lane, Peterlee, SR8 5DJ)
We travel for our second derby of 2019 with the promotion race in Durham and Northumberland One becoming ever tighter and with the gap to joint leaders Durham City and Northern down to just one point.
With City hosting both Northern and West in the coming weeks it is all to play for - so we will take on H&P this week knowing that something must change against our old rivals.
Horden traditionally raise their game when West arrive with league fixtures invariably going the way of the home side - at least since since 2003. This season we won our home game 38-10 and with some ease.
However, supporters will travel with the memory of February 2015’s epic game at the former Welfare Ground still vivid in the memory. The home side had not won a game all season only to race into a 21 point lead after just 20 minutes. A shell-shocked West fought back taking a 25-24 lead with fifteen minutes remaining - only for a penalty from Craig Jones to seal the win for the hosts.
We will be hoping for better fortunes on a different pitch.
There's quite a few players now back in contention, which bodes well for the run-in. Jake Linighan is free of work commitments and starts in the second row, alongside the hard working John Bunter, with Chris Atkins moving into a powerful back row where Scott Butcher and Alex Barker have both been leading from the front.
Butch's try-scoring at Medicals last week was only eclipsed by the return to the club of hat-trick (in rugby parlance) hero Luke Mallinson. Mallo will again be at full back with Zac Southern continuing at fly-half as Stu Waites takes more time to recover from a virus.
Adam Larkin is also free of work committments and will be another forceful influence on the wing. He will be alongside top-try scorer Will Hildith who has suddenly turned into the provider of most assists.
Danny Cookland and Michael Hogan also return and will be on the bench alongside Isaac Robinson.
West: Luke Mallinson, Callum Johnston, Will Hilditch, Peter Youll, Adam Larkin Zac Southern, Ryan Painter (capt), Adam Coates, Andrew Rollins, Adam Brown, John Bunter, Jake Linighan, Chris Atkins Alex Barker, Scott Butcher.
Changes: Isaac Robinson, Michael Hogan, Danny Cookland.