‘It’s a derby - a game we wanttowin,havetowin’
Michael Johnson has shrugged off any suggestions there is little on offer for Seaham Red Star as their Northern League Division One season comes to a close with a visit to managerless Sunderland RCA on Saturday.
Despite winning just one of their last 10 games prior to Thursday’s visit to Birtley Town, Red Star have produced a solid run of form in recent weeks that has seen them take points in eight of those fixtures – and the threat of relegation is now firmly in the past.
However, local bragging rights remain on offer as Seaham look to claim a third win of the season over RCA after victories in the reverse fixture and an FA Vase second qualifying round tie.
With Saturday’s trip to Sunderland LGV Park next on the agenda, Red Star coach Johnson stressed they must complete a treble over RCA to take momentum into the summer and beyond.
He told The Echo: “We are in pretty good spirits even though we haven’t won many but we have drawn a lot of games and we have lost one in eight.
“We are on a good run and we are looking to finish off the season with a win and carry that momentum into the close-season and regroup.
“It’s a derby, it’s not just another game to finish off the season, it’s a local derby and we want to win, we have to win.
“It’s no end-of-season for us, it’s a game we feel we have to win. We are on a good run and we are confident we can get the three points to end the season on a positive.”
There is one Friday night fixture as Whickham look to bounce back from their Durham Challenge Cup defeat at the hands of West Auckland Town when they visit North Shields.
Elsewhere on Saturday,
Jay Bates brings down the curtain on his reign as West Allotment Celtic manager when they host Newcastle Benfield and Division One champions Bishop Auckland visit relegation-threatened Tow Law Town.
Northallerton Town travel to Cumbria to take on Carlisle City and Heaton Stannington will hope to claim three points and secure a third-placed finish when they travel to Crook Town.
*Sunderland academy graduate Mason Cotcher scored for Ipswich Town’s under-21s side against Wigan Athletic after joining the Championship club on trial.
The 17-year-old forward was a regular goalscorer for Sunderland’s under-18s team last season and was part of the senior side’s matchday squad for last year’s FA Cup tie at Shrewsbury Town.
The Black Cats were keen to keep the England youth international, offering him a professional contract when he turned 17 last summer, yet a deal couldn’t be reached for him to stay on Wearside.
Cotcher has trained with Arsenal and Manchester United this season, while it was claimed earlier this month that Leeds
United had offered the teenager a contract after he’d represented the club’s under-18s and under-21s sides.