Northern League: Seaham Red Star eye improvement as Cestrians lie in wait
There is a busy weekend of action in the Northern League’s second tier.
Seaham Red Star must take their hard work on the training pitch into Saturday’s home game with Chester-le-Street Town if they are to start an upturn after a recent run of poor form.
That was the verdict of assistant manager Michael Johnson as he assessed the challenge that lies ahead as Red Star prepare to take on a Cestrians side that are struggling to meet the expectations placed upon them before the season got underway.
Lee Haldane’s men are sitting in fourteenth place in the table ahead of Saturday’s visit to Seaham after winning just four of their opening 12 league fixtures - and that has left them sitting just one point and one place above Red Star. Despite their visitors underwhelming opening to the season, Red Star assistant manager Johnson is only too aware of the threat they will pose for his side - and revealed only hard work on the training pitch can kickstart their own improvement.
He told The Echo: “It’s going to be a very tough game on Saturday. We know what they’re all about, we know they have a very good squad. Hopefully, the right Seaham Red Star turn up and we can gain three points. We are equipped for it, we have trained for it, we are ready for it, so on the day, we have to execute what we’ve been doing in training. We have to make sure we are switched on for 95 or 97 minutes, however long it is, and not give teams goals. If we do that, we will come away with a positive result, which is the aim. But we know they are a massive threat, we know it’s going to be difficult but we will deal with that and if we execute our plan, we will be happy.”
Fixtures
Friday: Ryton and Crawcrook Albion v AFC Newbiggin Saturday: Darlington Town v Boldon CA, Durham United v FC Hartlepool, Newcastle University v Billingham Town, Park View AFC v Stokesley SC, Seaham Red Star v Chester-le-Street Town, Seaton Carew v Prudhoe YC Seniors, Sunderland RCA v Jarrow, Tow Law Town v Grangetown Boys Club
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