Blyth Spartans host North East rivals Spennymoor Town in the Boxing Day fixture at Croft Park.
Last time out an injury hit Spartans side lost 5-0 away to York City in the FA Trophy Third Round – a game that saw debuts for academy players Jay Errington, Josh Walker and Luke Heppell.
Blyth will wearing their away colours for the match in support of Shelter’s #NoHomeKit campaign to help raise awareness of the homelessness crisis.
TEAM NEWS
Spartans remain without Nathan Buddle, Lewis McNall, wth the fitness of Rhys Evans, Jack Bodenham, Alex Nicholson and Michael Liddle to be assessed after all missed Tuesday’s match. Curtis Round and Will McGowan are set to return.
OPPOSITION
Spennymoor sit just two places above the relegation zone, with 24 points – six ahead of Spartans having played a game more.
Jason Ainsley’s side played their last league fixture on 6th December, when they won 3-2 at home to Boston United. Moors came from behind to take all three points, through goals from Reece Kendall, Glen Taylor and Joe Tait.
WHAT WE’RE SAYING
After the Chester match, assistant manager Andy Inness said: “99% of the game we are really pleased with, we came away from home and dominated large spells of that game with really good possession.
Our Achilles-heel continues to be a really untidy goal which was avoidable again, but the lads are not for the ones to try and rectify the sloppy mistakes and at some point, we are going to have to cut them out of our game, otherwise, we are going to be chasing games rather than trying to lead them.
But on the whole tonight we were very good in spells but just lacked any real clear-cut opportunities.”
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Speaking after their come-from-behind win against Boston, Moors assistant manager Jamie Chandler said, “First-half, was nowhere near acceptable. Whatever we said to the players at half time it was firmly deserved. It was nowhere near what we expect, with the ball and without the ball.
We got a massive reaction and that was the most pleasing thing. What I saw in the second-half makes me proud, some of the football we played was absolutely brilliant.”
LAST TIME WE MET
The two teams last met at the Brewery Field on East Monday earlier this year, with Blyth falling to a 3-0 defeat.
The sides last met at Croft Park in the festive period last year, with Spartans enjoying a 3-1 win. On that day JJ O’Donnell scored early in the second-half before Moors levelled soon after the break, but goals from Toby Lees and Connor Thomson restored Blyth’s lead and secured and important three points.