Remember the date, March 29th, 2023. The evening in which the latest iteration of Newcastle Blue Star won their first ever trophy.
Beating Seaton Delaval 3-0 and winning the Challenge Cup final is hoped to be the first of many in terms of prizes, it is also hoped to be the first of three this season.
Because with one piece of silverware now in the trophy cabinet, the aim is to collect two more. The quadruple attempt may have been thwarted a week or so ago, it is now full steam ahead in terms of the bid for league honours.
While Blue Star are going to need every drop of steam between now and the final day of the campaign. In the next five weeks, the current league leaders have to play no less than 10 remaining Northern Alliance Premier Division fixtures – a fixture every 3.5 days on average.
The price of success perhaps, but it will be worth every penny if Brian Smith and his managerial team can lead their charges to victory in the overall race for the title. A race that truly starts in earnest this weekend.
As things stand, it is NE15’s finest who find themselves five points clear at the top of the table and with a game in hand over rivals Burradon & New Fordley. Everything that the team from Scotswood has done, the team in second has almost done just as well.
Add the small subplot of the challengers still possessing a game in hand and things get even more interesting. However, their fixture list is even more congested and with 11 matches between now and the final day on May 6th, it really is going to be survival of the fittest.
While the first fitness test in this season’s sprint for success is the visit of Whitley Bay Reserves. The two teams met in mid-February; the team that play the role of visitors on Saturdaysuccumbed to a 5-0 reverse on home soil.
Although it is top versus bottom, Whitley Bay’s second string are fighting for every point themselves. The last thing they want is the relegation trap door to collect them. The last thing the hosts want is to suffer a midweek cup final hangover.
Something which sets up Saturday’s clash rather nicely indeed. A warm welcome goes out to the traveling Whitley Bay Reserves team and support and for those who lend their voice to the home team, make sure to bring the noise throughout.
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