ℹ️//TODAY//FIXTURE//NL1 @kendaltownfc v @BirtleyTFC Comp: Northern League Division One Venue: The Westmoreland Flooring Stadium, LA9 7BL Kick Off: 3pm 📈CURRENT FORM// Kendal Town 16th | LLLWWL - A 2-1 away win at Newcastle Benfield at the weekend was followed by a 3-1 home defeat by Shildon in midweek. Goals from Matty Casson and Jamie Looker gave them the points on Tyneside. Looker was again on target in the midweek loss - he has scored in the last three games for the Mintcakes. At home in league action they have won 3/7 games, with two draws and two defeats completing their current NL1 record at Parkside Road. They are one of only three Division One sides to have scored in every league game this season - Redcar Town & Shildon are the other two. Birtley Town 6th | DWWWWL - Saw their five game unbeaten league run end in midweek with a 2-0 home defeat to Carlisle City. That was only the second league game in which the Hoops have failed to score - and the first since their opening day blank away at Blyth Town. That defeat followed a 4-0 win away at Newcastle Blue Star last Friday night. They have won 3/7 league games on the road, with two draws and two losses rounding out their current NL1 away record. They are unbeaten on their last four away league outings - two wins, two draws. They tend to score early. They have the lowest average goal time in the division - 37.3 minutes. 74.3% of their league goals have come in the first half with them being most productive immediately before half time with 12 goals in the 31-45 minute window. At the other end they have a perfect split with 18 goals conceded in the first and second half. ⏪THIS SEASON// No previous league meeting this season. 🔙LAST SEASON// Kendal took the points in the corresponding league fixture last season with a 4-2 victory. Bailey Kenny put the hosts ahead on eight minutes, before DJ Taylor doubled that lead with 17 minutes played. Reece Harrison pulled a goal back for the Hoops just after the half hour but Taylor claimed his second of the afternoon to ensure the hosts would take a two goal lead into the break. Birtley skipper Sam Hedley made it 3-2 on 72 minutes but Jamie Looker settled any Mintcake nerves when he added a fourth for the hosts in added time. 🔮OUR PREDICTION// Kendal’s record of scoring in every league game gives them a chance, especially with Jamie Looker in strong form, but they continue to concede too many goals. Birtley’s midweek defeat looked more like a bump in the road than a trend, and their away form remains solid. Expect the Hoops to start quickly and make their first-half strength count. Mintcakes 2-3 Hoops Comments, Likes & Reposts are very much appreciated. If you really like our work you could buy us a ko-fi, link in bio! ⚽️

ℹ️//TODAY//FIXTURE//NL1 @BirtleyTFC v @nbsfc2018 Comp: Northern League Division One Venue: The Arrowmark Home Improvements Stadium, DH3 2QW Kick Off: 7:30pm 📈CURRENT FORM// Birtley Town 6th | LWDWWW - Stretched their unbeaten league run to four with a 2-1 victory away at Marske United last weekend. Reece Harrison & Nick Marley with the goals by the seaside. They followed that with a 2-0 midweek home win over Division Two leaders Billingham Town in Durham Challenge Cup. Marley again on the scoresheet with Regan Paterson also on target. At home in league action they have won 5/8 games, with three defeats completing their currently draw-less NL1 record at the Arrowmark. They are the highest placed team with a negative goal difference, -3, Whitley Bay are the next highest in 10th. They have been awarded the most penalties in Division One (7) but have also missed the most with three failures from twelve yards. They have the lowest average time for goals scored in the division - 38.2 minutes. 67.7% of their 31 league goals to date have come in the first half and they are most potent in the last quarter of an hour with ten goals (32.8%) between 31-45 minutes. A win tonight would see them move level on points with Shildon in 4th place. Newcastle Blue Star 12th | LLLDWL - Ended a five game winless league run with a 5-1 victory at home to Newcastle Benfield last Friday night. Jakub Zych with a brace but the Blue Star top scorer was upstaged by a Jack Follin hat trick. They then lost 3-2 away to Blyth Spartans in the Northumberland Senior Cup in midweek. A first Blue Star goal for Gildo da Silva after joining from Hebburn Town put them ahead before Zych levelled late on from the penalty spot. All three Spartans goals came from former Blue Star players. They have won 2/6 league games on the road, with two draws and two losses rounding out their currently evenly distributed NL1 away record. They have drawn on their last two league awaydays. A win would see them move up two places into 10th. ⏪THIS SEASON// No previous league meeting this season. 🔙LAST SEASON// The sides served up eight goals in the corresponding league fixture as Birtley claimed a 5-3 win at the Arrowmark last season. Dan Wilson gave the visitors a second minute lead but the hosts replied just two minutes later through Nick Marley to level. The Hoops would take a 2-1 lead into the break after a 24th minute Reece Harrison strike. James Proctor made it 3-1 just a minute into the second half but Paul Dudgeon pulled a goal back on 50 minutes. Liam Thear made it 4-2 to the hosts from the penalty spot on the hour but with Matty Ward sitting on the naughty step Wilson made it 5-3 with his second of the evening for Blue Star. But Birtley stood firm to claim the points. 🔮OUR PREDICTION// Birtley's strong recent form and home advantage give them the edge against an improving Blue Star side. The visitors should pose a threat going forward, but Birtley's ability to score early could prove decisive. Expect a competitive contest with chances at both ends. Blue Star may keep it close, but the hosts look better placed to us to take the points. Hoops 2-1 Blue Star. Comments, Likes & Reposts are very much appreciated. If you really like our work you could buy us a ko-fi, link in bio! ⚽️

FA CUP//ROUND UP A look at the five FA Cup First Round Qualifying ties played over the weekend involving our NL sides. Here we go! 👇 @lowerbreck v @ThornabyFC_ 📊RESULT// Lower Breck 5-1 Thornaby Kurtis Howes saw his early effort saved by Alex Brown in the hosts net after good work from Spencer Walker. Blue Lamp stopper Sam Taylor then saved well with his legs to deny the lively Sam Burns. But Luke Gill put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot on 27 minutes after Alex Cherera was fouled, and his second spot kick of the game, in first half added time, gave Breck a 2-0 lead at the break. It was three on 52 minutes as Burns netted after running clear but the visitors pulled a goal back on 65 minutes through a superb Joe Pickett lob. Burns claimed his second 74 minutes to restore the host’s three goal cushion before he wrapped things up when he completed his hat trick with a header two minutes from time. 🔮PREDICTION// We predicted a 2-1 away win slightly through Blue (Lamp) tinted glasses. And the Liverpool hosts well and truly scuppered that. Next @redcartownfc v @Blyth_Spartans 📊RESULT// Redcar Town 1-0 Blyth Spartans The hosts got off to the perfect start as Joe Taylor tucked home on the stretch at the back post with just three minutes on the clock. Will Cowey produced a stunning reaction save to protect Town’s lead. Spencer Ashcroft the man denied. Dan Lanning crashed a fierce strike off the crossbar just after the half hour mark but Redcar took a one goal lead into the break. Spartans were reduced to ten men as Rob Spence was sent off on 69 minutes. And despite plenty of endeavour from both sides there was no addition to the scoreline, Taylor came closest as he tested Callum Dobson in the dying moments. 🔮PREDICTION// We predicted a 2-1 away win with the caveat that “we’d love to be wrong” and happily we were as Town pulled a historic victory to dismiss their recent league wobbles to progress to the next round. Next @Official_SAFC v @theyellows 📊RESULT// Shildon 2-2 Warrington Town The visitors squandered a chance to take the lead on 19 minutes as Leighton Harris fouled Jack Goodwin but Reece Daly saw his penalty saved by home stopper Andrew Jennison with a sprawling dive to his left. Daly was handed a chance to redeem himself on 28 minutes and he made no mistake from the spot this time after Ewan Bange was fouled after following up after a Jennison save from Daly’s initial effort. The sides would head into the break all square though, Billy Greulich-Smith’s 41st minute goal, a towering back post from a corner making it 1-1 at the half. Shildon edged ahead on 54 minutes, Jon Weirs putting the Railwaymen in front with as he lashed home a loose ball through a crowded six yard box The Yellows hit back with fourteen minutes left to play as two substitutes combined, Dave Morgan lifted home a Olatunde Bayode through ball to set up a midweek replay as it ended 2-2. 🔮PREDICTION// 💥💥BANG ON💥💥 Are you not entertained? This is a ridiculously good prediction. Few agreed. Gerrin!! Next @WorkingtonAFC v @MarskeUnitedFC 📊RESULT// Workington 3-0 Marske United Seasider stopper was pressed into action early as he denied Matty Douglas and Luke Hunter early doors. Marske grew into the game but the best they could muster was a Danny Boyle that was deflected wide. Algie produced a fine stop to thwart Brad Carroll but the hosts did edge ahead four minutes before the break as Charlie Barnes swept home following a corner. Douglas blazed an excellent chance over the bar but former Penrith man Luke Hunter doubled the Reds lead on 63 minutes as he drilled home at the near post. Tom Stephenson made the tie safe when he nicked in to prod home on 89 minutes. 🔮PREDICTION// We predicted a 3-1 win and we proved to be a pesky goal away from being Bang On. Back to climbing the table for the Seasiders. Next @Emley_AFC v @bishopafc 📊RESULT// Emley AFC 1-1 Bishop Auckland Bishops had the game’s first sighter but Gary Martin’s header cleared the crossbar from a Luke Williams centre. The striker then fired over from 22 yards. The hosts first effort in anger came via Diego De Giralamo but Shand Bland comfortably collected. Gabriel Johnson then went close but his strike cannoned back off the upright. Martin, again, took aim just after the half hour but Ben Bottomley dealt with the effort in the home net. Rinor Ejupi then dragged his effort wide as the first half ended goalless. After a tense, nip and tuck first half the second half followed in similar vein. Although the hosts had the better of the going without creating a clear cut chance. The deadlock was broken as Gabriel Johnson swept home an 80th minute penalty was awarded after an Aaron Haswell shot was handled by Liam Potter. Liam Jarvis saw a shot saved by Bottomley, and the home stopper then tipped a Amar Purewal header over. But with exit looming large for the Two Blues’ combative midfielder John Howard lashed home a 90+2 minute leveller to take the tie back to Heritage Park. 🔮PREDICTION// We predicted a 2-1 away win, and although ever-so slightly biased towards the NL Two Blues the FA Cup dream stayed alive after Howard found a way. Likes, reposts & comments appreciated. 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ℹ️//TODAY//FIXTURE//NL1 @NorthallertonFC v @BirtleyTFC Comp: Northern League Division One Venue: The Calvert Stadium, DL7 8HA Kick Off: 3pm 📈CURRENT FORM// Northallerton Town 18th | LLLDWL - Goals from Joe Eason & Lewis Martin gave them a 2-1 win away to Newcastle Benfield at the weekend. Then, despite goals from Ben Creamer and debutant Jack Kilpatrick bringing them back level from two down, they lost 5-2 away at Penrith in midweek. At home in league action they have won 1/4 games, with a draw and two defeats completing their NL1 record at the Calvert. They have conceded the most league goals in Division One - 29 from their ten league outings. Only two Division One sides have yet to record a league clean sheet - them and Whitley Bay. Birtley Town 8th | WLWWWL - A tale of 'six of one and half a dozen of the other' for the Hoops. They hit six at home to North Shields last Friday night, goals from Charlie Aitken(2), Jack Proctor, Regan Paterson, Matty Ward & Dale Burrell gave them a 6-3 win at the Arrowmark. Burrell was again on the scoresheet away to Shildon in midweek, but his double was betted as the hosts netted six in the 6-2 loss. They have won 1/3 league games on the road, with two losses rounding out their current NL1 away record. The gung-ho Hoops are the highest placed side with a negative goal difference. They have the lowest average goal scored time in the division. Only five of their current tally of 22 league goals have come in the second half - 73% of their goals come in the opening 45. ⏪THIS SEASON// No previous league meeting this season. 🔙LAST SEASON// Birtley Town took the win in the corresponding league fixture last season as an early Charlie Aitken goal proved enough for the visitors. The only goal of the game came on 11 minutes, Aitken’s strike was the match-winner in the 1-0 victory. 🔮OUR PREDICTION// Northallerton ’s defensive woes continue to define their season - 29 goals conceded in ten games and still no clean sheet make every fixture a rollercoaster. Yet there are flickers of promise. Birtley arrive as the division’s great entertainers, scoring six one game and conceding six the next. Their first‑half firepower is unmatched. Expect chaos at the Calvert, with both sides trading punches, probably early. Ally 2‑4 Hoops Comments, Likes & Reposts are very much appreciated. If you really like our work you could buy us a ko-fi, link in bio! ⚽️