Newcastle Blue Star vs Crook Town (11/04/2025)

The best way to get over the line is by doing it yourself and that is precisely what Newcastle Blue Star will look to do this evening in terms of securing an invite to the Northern League Division One playoffs.

With two games of the regular season now remaining, Blue Star have one foot camped in the top five but cannot pop champagne corks just yet and after suffering a 3-1 home defeat to leaders Redcar Athletic last Saturday, manager Marc Nash knows his players still have a job to do.

A job that would be completed with one win from their last two encounters but with a final day trip to Blyth Town scheduled for next Saturday – an outfit who are also planning playoff pursuits, the desire would be in Blue Star getting their tickets booked before next weekend.

Before the start of the penultimate weekend of the campaign, Blue Star have a five-point lead over Kendal in the race for the final playoff paying position and with six points left to play for, the KD Stadium outfit are certainly in the driving seat.

Their momentum may have been paused last weekend but there was no doubt that a visiting Redcar Athletic side were always going to be a stern test and especially as they aim to secure automatic promotion for themselves.

They were the better side on the day, but that game is now in the history books and now full focus shifts to the visit of Crook Town. A team that has no dog in the promotion fight but would be quite happy in the playing the role of party-poopers.

Not only that, but tonight’s visitors have only recently welcomed Blue Star through their doors and after a feisty clash in County Durham saw the two teams share the points at the end of February, you would imagine these two teams to pick up from where they left off.

If Blue Star can get the job done tonight, that does not allow them the opportunity to relax. Far from it if anything but it would at least make a trip to Blyth rather less fraught than it could be. Tonight’s visit of Crook suddenly takes on extra importance and hopefully it leads to an extra special evening.

Something which sets up this upcoming clash rather nicely. A warm welcome goes out to the visiting Crook Town team and support and for those who lend their voice to the home team, make sure to bring the noise throughout.