Ryhope Colliery Welfare are back in action after a weekend off when they travel to Guisborough Town in Northern League Division One.
Colliery Welfare head into the game on the back of a 2-0 win at home to Ashington, but are on the road for the first time since mid January when they drew 1-1 at Penrith.
Ryhope come up against a Guisborough side two places below us and ten points behind us with two games in hand.
The Priorymen have been inconsistent but are capable of some very good results, their last home outing was a 2-0 win against high-flyers North Shields.
Gary Foster’s side have taken six points from their last five league games (two wins and three losses) showing their inconsistency but also that they’re a very tough team to face on their day.
However, Colliery Welfare are fresh from their fist clean sheet since the opening day of the season and should take confidence into this game from that.
Ryhope should also take confidence from the previous encounter, having beat Guisborough 3-1 at Recreation Ground after going a goal down.
A double from Micky Rae and a goal from James Ellis gave Ryhope the three points after Nathan Steel gave Guisborough a 16th minute lead.
On the break between fixtures, Gary Pearson said: “It’s really helped us, I gave them the weekend off and that has carried into training sessions this week. We’ve trained really well.”
Speaking ahead of the game, Pearson added: “I’m glad to be seeing more of them get on the scoresheet and hope it continues.
“It can be sometimes a little bit of a burden to players such as James Ellis when others aren’t chipping in.
“It’s come at the right time because James is away on Saturday on his annual family skiing trip. We’re going to miss him so we definitely need others chipping in with goals.
“Every single time we play Guisborough down there we get a different game to what we play here.
“They’re always a good side, they’re well organised and their management are good people I get along with them.
“I don’t think they’ll be happy to see us going down there either because they know what kind of game they’ll get off us.”
Welfare will be without Jack Walker (getting married), James Ellis (skiing), Corey Nicholson (ligaments), Elliott Woods (thigh)
Northern League Division One
Venue: King George V Ground, Guisborough, TS14 6LF
Date: Saturday, February 23rd
Kick-Off: 15:00