History was made a couple of days ago, when our Robins marched into Chadderton and came out 2-0 winners, sending us into the final 16 in the FA Vase. But there’s little time to celebrate as we look forward to a much-anticipated game in the EBAC Northern League Division One against Newcastle Blue Star.
Shields are finally back in action at the Darren Persson Stadium, against a well-known rival in Newcastle Blue Star. The opposition, much like us, has been twiddling their thumbs since the turn of the new year as the freezing weather postponed many games across the region.
Following their monumental performance in the FA Vase last weekend, Brian Smith’s men must put that result behind them and focus on the game at hand. The playoffs are still there for the taking, and a fantastic run of form in the league from the Robins, including a well-earned win away to third-placed Whitley Bay, has put them in great stead to continue and sneak into that fifth spot.
Brandon Slater is a man who seems to have finally found his place in the Robins’ team. His performance last Saturday was electric. Manager Brian Smith said he was the best player on the pitch.
Speaking to the media team after the Chadderton game, he said, “We haven’t seen much of Slatts as a goal threat. I’ve spoken about that with him, and his reaction since we had those conversations has been top drawer, because he is a goal threat; we just hadn’t seen it yet. He certainly was today; he was excellent.”
Blue Star also played their first game since Boxing Day last Saturday, knocking off Boro Rangers 1-0 in a gritty performance decided by defender Craig Scott.
Blue Star doesn’t have much to play for anymore in terms of the league this season. They currently sit in 12th, coincidentally 12 points off the playoff places. They’re not out of the race for a chance at promotion this year, but they would need favourable results across the league to climb seven places, sneaking into the fifth spot.
That doesn’t mean Blue Star won’t put up a good performance, as they are only five points behind Brian Smith’s Robins, who are currently in 8th place. A win for the opposition could open up the league, making playoff spaces more competitive than they have been this entire season.
