SWALES SAYS RCA NOW THE ‘SCALP’ IN CLASH AT ROBINS
NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL
Sunderland RCA manager Martin Swales believes that his side are in an unfamiliar position as they prepare to travel to North Shields tomorrow.
The Robins have been one of the mainstays of the Northern League Division One top eight over the last four seasons.
RCA have gradually improved over that period and last season they finished above North Shields for the first time since the North Tyneside outfit returned to the league’s top-tier in 2014.
Swales believes that the tables have turned in the fixture and that his side can be confident of taking all three points from their visit to the Daren Persson Stadium.
“I know North Shields well and I used to play for them many years ago,” explained the RCA manager.
“They are a good club, but I think this season they are a bit unpredictable.
“It was always a tough place to go when Graham Fenton was in charge.
“They were a top side then, but now I think they are probably somewhere in around mid-table.
“The tables have turned a bit and I think we are probably favourites.
“We are confident and in good form and I think we will be the scalp because of the progression we have made over the last two years.
“We have a good squad and we are now having to leave people out of the matchday squad because we are so strong.
“It shows how far we have come.” Swales is without injured midfielders Luke Page and Dylan Elliot and will hand late fitness tests to Mark Davison and Colin Larkin.
Seaham Red Star have been rocked by the news that new signing Nick Allen is set for a spell on the sidelines after hobbling out of their draw against Whickham with an ankle injury.
Allen will miss tomorrow’s trip to Stockton Town and Red Star manager Mark Collingwood described the news as a “massive blow”.
He said: “It does look like a bad injury, he thinks that his ankle has popped out and went back in, so that could be long-term.
“That’s going to be a massive blow because that was his first game for the club and we need him.
“We’ve got quality in the squad, so hopefully someone can come in, take the shirt and carry on where Nick left off - people need to step up now.
“We will be going there, probably, as massive underdogs, but with the players that we’ve got here at this football club, we’ve got some great footballers and a bit of heart.
“We will go down there confident and we will be giving it a go.”
Ryhope CW could move into the top 10 of the Division One table if they take all three points from their home game against mid-table Newcastle Benfield.
League leaders Consett are without injured trio Aksel Juul, Daniel Hawkins and Matty Slocombe for their trip to Bishop Auckland.
West Auckland Town will look to close the gap to the top six when they travel to Cumbria to face bottom-of-thetable Penrith.
A suspension means that defender Luke Taylor is the only absentee from Whitley Bay’s squad for their game at Guisborough Town and Whickham could hand a debut to new signing Damien Stevens when they host local rivals Dunston UTS.
Ashington manager Steve Bowey is awaiting news on the fitness of Liam Armstrong and Jake Cunningham before their home game against Newton Aycliffe, who stand 13th in the table.