Northern League: Easington Colliery relishing test against 'ambitious' Blyth Town

Easington Colliery manager Olly Hotchkiss has admitted his side will face ‘a really difficult game’ at ambitious Blyth Town on Saturday - but stressed there are no easy games in Northern League Division One this season.

The Colliers have enjoyed a largely positive opening six weeks to the season and will head into their trip to Gateway Park sitting firmly in the race for promotion into the Northern Premier League East Division. However, their hosts know all about life at a higher level after spending last season in step four before suffering a heartbreaking relegation on the final day of the campaign. That heartache has not quelled the ambition being shown by the Northumberland outfit as they have added the likes of former Heaton Stannington duo Konner Lamb and Andy Burn and Whickham striker Bailey Adamson to their squad.

They have suffered defeats in their last two games as they were edged out in a nine-goal thriller at Kendal Town last weekend before falling to a one-goal defeat at Newton Aycliffe in midweek. Despite those defeats, Colliers boss Hotchkiss is expecting a major test of his side’s promotion credentials when they face Michael Connor’s men this weekend.

He told The Echo: “It will be a really, really difficult game because it always is. Obviously they’ve come down from the Northern Premier League - but it looks like they have recruited and spent well. Clearly, their ambitions are strong but we have watched plenty of their games, we have seen what they are about and they’ve had a good start.

“It will be difficult - but I don’t think there is a game in this league that isn’t difficult. There are no gimmes, you have to work for every point and you have to be at it week-in, week-out to try and keep churning out results. We are expecting a difficult game on Saturday but that’s not different to any other game.”

Fixtures: Blyth Town v Easington Colliery, Crook Town v Whickham, Newton Aycliffe v Newcastle Benfield, Northallerton Town v Birtley Town, Whitley Bay v Newcastle Blue Star, Yarm and Eaglescliffe v Kendal Town, North Shields v Horden CW

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