Blues Match Preview: South Shields v Chester FC

Chester FC travel to South Shields tomorrow afternoon, as they look to consolidate their status as league leaders of the National League North.

Calum McIntyre was named Manager of the Month for January this week after he guided his players to six wins and a draw.

It was a perfect start to February as the club earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Peterborough Sports courtesy of a Fin Roberts effort.

A poacher’s goal from Tom Peers in first-half stoppage-time was the difference in the reverse fixture as we beat South Shields 1-0 at the Deva Stadium.

If the Blues avoid defeat tomorrow, they will extend their unbeaten run to eleven matches.

THE OPPOSITION

South Shields currently occupy 15th position in the National League North.

They are an equal distance away from the playoffs and the relegation zone with 11 points separating them from both ends of the table.

Calum McIntyre and his players have a slight advantage over tomorrow’s opponents due to the Mariners playing on Tuesday night.

They fell to a slender defeat at home to Hereford which left them winless in their last five matches.

Despite their underwhelming position, they are still more than capable of causing issues for opposition defences. Only four teams in the league, ourselves included, have recorded more than their 43 goals this term.

The team hailing from Tyne-and-Wear have also inflicted the heaviest defeat on any team in the league this season as they put seven past Rushall Olympic in December.

Last season, Elliot Dickman’s side missed out on the playoffs by a single point after a campaign full of positives.

They had used the momentum from their promotion earning season the year prior to propel themselves up the league. In 2022/23, they were crowned the Northern Premier League Premier Division Champions.

THE GAFFER

Elliot Dickman has been in charge at the 1st Cloud Arena since December 2023.

The 46-year-old initially joined on an interim basis after Argentine Julio Arca was relieved of his duties, before making his stay permanent last summer.

In his first season at the club, he guided the Mariners to eighth place after winning seven of their last nine games.

His involvement at South Shields is the first senior coaching role of his career . Before making the switch to Non-League football, Dickman oversaw Newcastle and Sunderland’s development squads, with a particular focus on the U23 teams.

He spent over 26 years with the latter and took up various roles with the Black Cats.

ONE TO WATCH

South Shields boast one of the most potent goalscorers in the league in 26-year-old Paul Blackett.

After Charlie Caton and former Leamington striker Callum Stewart secured moves to EFL clubs, Blackett is now joint first in the Golden Boot race alongside Scunthorpe’s Callum Roberts.

The Englishman has netted 15 times in the league but has only scored once in his last five appearances.

Blackett’s goal hauls include a brace against Oxford City, Farsley Celtic, Alfreton Town and Marine while also bagging a hat-trick at home to Rushall Olympic.

South Shields’ number nine is looking to claim consecutive Golden Boots after he was crowned the National League North’s most lethal finisher last term with 30 goals to his name.

The forward has performed for a whole host of North Eastern clubs including Gateshead, Spennymoor Town and Blyth Spartans.

LEAGUE FORM GUIDE

South Shields | W11 D4 L13 | F43 A42 | Pos: 15th

Last Three 

Scunthorpe United (A) | L 3-2 | Scorers: Paul Blackett & Mackenzie Heaney

Scarborough Athletic (H) | D 1-1 | Scorers: Kyle Crossley

Hereford (H) | L 1-0 | Scorers: N/A

Chester FC | W17 D7 L6 | F48 A29 | Pos: 1st

Last Three

Scarborough Athletic (A) | W 4-2 | Scorers: Fin Roberts, Will Thornton OG, Declan Weeks, Dan Mooney

Radcliffe (A) | W 3-0 | Scorers: Tom Peers x2, Declan Weeks

Peterborough Sports (A) | W 1-0 | Scorers: Fin Roberts

Match Preview by Jude Deedigan.

MATCH DETAILS

The game kicks off at 3pm at the 1st Cloud Arena on Saturday.

The address for the stadium is: 

Shaftesbury Avenue, Jarrow, NE32 3UP.