Colly remaining upbeat despite a depleted squad to face Whickham
Seaham Red Star manager Mark Collingwood is staying positive despite his plans for Saturday’s trip to Whickham being thrown into disarray by an injury crisis.
Collingwood is facing up to the prospect of facing the Lang Jacks without a recognised striker after Adam Lennox and Louis Anderson were ruled out of the game.
Fellow forward Joe Kerridge is a doubt with a back injury and the likes of Tom Lawson, Liam Hodgson and Paul Weldon will also miss the visittotheFirstMortgateGlebe Sports Ground.
However, the Red Star boss insistsheisupbeataheadofthe game as his in-form side meet a Whickham squad under the control of new manager Tony Fawcett for the first time.
HetoldTheEcho:“It’savery strange game because Tony comes across as a confident lad. He has taken over a good squad with some excellent players and they could be playingusattherighttimebecause we don’t have a fit striker, we willprobablyonlyhaveasquad of 13 players.
“We are very depleted, we areupagainstit,butitiswhatit isandwewilljustgetonwithit.
“New managers normally giveateamalift,butweareina good position and we are looking up the table.”
New signing Chris Winn will be in the Sunderland RCA squadfortheirvisittotop-four contenders Thornaby after he joined the club from Bishop Auckland earlier this week.
Ryhope CW head into their home game against Whitley Bay with the aim of strengthening their grip on a top-four place by stretching their unbeaten run to a seventh league game.
The Division One weekend will get under way tonight when in-form West Auckland Town host Redcar Athletic.
Elsewhere on Saturday, league leaders Consett are without suspended striker
Dale Pearson for their home game against Penrith.
Max Cowburn will return to the Ashington squad for their home clash with Billingham Town, and struggling West Allotment Celtic have a strong squad available as they entertainCrookTown.Newton Aycliffe will hope to shrug off their midweek home reverse against Ashington when they travel to Northallerton Town, and North Shields will look to continuetheirimpressiveform when they visit Guisborough Town. Bishop Auckland go looking for their second win in three games under new manager Chris Hardy when they face Newcastle Benfield.