The Robins travel to County Durham on Saturday as they face mid-table Billingham Town at Bedford Terrace.
After Wednesday night’s Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup Q/F against Consett was called off, because of a waterlogged pitch, our trip to Billingham will be our first taste of action since the home draw against Ashington.
Saturday’s hosts will be looking to correct a poor run of form which has seen them lose their last three games, against Ryhope CW, Thornaby and Whickham.
Have flirted with the prospect of a second successive promotion, the reigning Division Two champions have struggled for form and are currently sat in tenth, twenty points behind the final promotion place.
Billy Town’s last victory came early in February, when they beat Sunderland RCA 2-1, courtesy of second half strikes from Elliott Beddow and Luke Hogan.
However, in their last outing, despite two goals in two minutes from Hogan and Christopher Dickinson, they fell to a heavy 4-2 defeat at a rejuvinated Whickham side who are now managed by Mark Convery.
Despite the 0-0 home draw against Ashington last weekend, the Robins still sit in fourth place in the Division One table, eight points off third place Hebburn Town but with three games in hand.
But they could still be without the services of Ryan Carr, who has been unavailable for the last few games.
Question marks will also be raised about the fitness of Kyle Patton, who came off early in the second half against the Colliers with a knock.
Last Time Out
There was nothing between these two sides in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, with both teams settling for a point after a 0-0 draw.
But it has been a much longer period of time since Shields last travelled to Bedford Terrace. Despite a goal from Humble, the Robins fell to a 2-1 defeat on 22 April 1989.
