Chester-le-Street Town face Northern League Division Two rivals Tow Law Town on Saturday afternoon.

Lee Haldane believes Chester-le-Street Town will be ready for a big test in Saturday’s home game against fellow promotion contenders Tow Law Town.

After the first two months of the season were hampered by inconsistency, the Cestrians found some form in October and will head into their meeting with the Lawyers looking to extend a run of just one defeat in their last seven. A high point came last weekend when Haldane’s side put seven goals past struggling Durham United to move within six points of the play-off places in the Northern League’s second tier.

Chester-le-Street Town manager Lee Haldane (Colin Bowman Nostrea photography) | Colin Bowman Nostrea photography

placeholder image — Chester-le-Street Town manager Lee Haldane (Colin Bowman Nostrea photography) | Colin Bowman Nostrea photography

Their visitors travel to Moor Park looking to bounce back from a disappointing home defeat against Boldon CA as goals from Liam Thear and Luke Page gave the South Tyneside outfit a 2-1 win at Ironworks Road that temporarily moved them to the top of the table.

Despite that loss, Mattie Thompson’s side are still sitting in fourth place in the table after producing a much improved performance this season and their away form has laid the foundations for a play-off push. The Lawyers have lost just one of their first nine league games on the road and they will hope to extend that run and deliver a blow to the Cestrians own top five ambitions this weekend.

Haldane praised Thompson for how he sets up his side - but is adamant his players will be ready for the test they will face this weekend.

He told The Echo: “We were able to have a decent run this last month and so far this month and that has set us up for a big game against Tow Law, who are having a great season to be fair to them. Mattie always has his sides organised so it’ll be a test for us - but it is a test we are up for.”

Fixtures

Alnwick Town v Durham United, Billingham Synthonia v Park View AFC, Boldon CA v Sunderland RCA, Chester-le-Street Town v Tow Law Town, Grangetown Boys Club v Billingham Town, Jarrow v Prudhoe YC Seniors, Ryton & Crawcrook Albion v FC Hartlepool, Seaham Red Star v AFC Newbiggin, Seaton Carew v Newcastle University, Stokesley SC v Darlington Town

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