WEST EXPECTING A STIFFER TEST FROM IN-FORM RIVALS
Sunderland West End will face a very different Silksworth CW side to the one they beat on the opening day of the Wearside League season.
That was the verdict of West End manager Anthony Nelson as the two in-form sides prepare to meet at Silksworth Welfare Park tomorrow.
A Mark Robinson brace and goals from Andrew Brown and Adam Drysdale helped West End to a 4-0 home win against their local rivals in early-August.
But Nelson insisted that Silksworth will provide a very different test to the one his side faced at Nissan Sports Complex.
He said: “They have made some good signings, they are on a great run and it’s a local derby.
“All of that makes it a hard game and they are a different team now.
“I have dreaded this game to be honest, but I know we have the potential to beat them.
“We are starting to catch up with the leaders and a win takes us above Wolviston because they haven’t got a league game.
“I’m looking forward to the test against an in-form side.”
Nelson revealed that he has a number of selection issues ahead of the derby clash and faces the prospect of upsetting some members of his squad.
“I have a full squad available for the game, so I have some big decisions to make,” he said.
“As a manager, you don’t like upsetting players.
“It is difficult but all I care about is getting a result.”
Silksworth go into the game on the back of two impressive wins against Windscale and a previously unbeaten Wolviston side.
Those two fixtures have seen Silksworth finding their goalscoring form and coach Michael Curtis insisted that they would play on the front foot against West End.
He said: “We are confident and our strikers are bang on form.
“They are in a fantastic vein of form and they look very dangerous.
“We look ruthless and we are taking our chances now so we are really looking forward to Saturday and we know what we will get from West End.
“We will take the game to them and I think that’s the only way we can be with them.
“The two teams know each other very well but we just need to play our game and focus on ourselves.
“We just have to take our chances, like we have been, and we have a good chance of getting something.”
Goalkeeper Jak Wright is out with a calf injury and defender Dan Thompson is still unavailable with an ankle injury.
League leaders Hebburn Town Reserves are without captain Gary Crutwell and striker Nathan Richardson for their trip to Gateshead Leam Rangers.
Richmond Town could move to within three points of the top five with a home win against Horden CW.
Their cause isn’t helped by the absence of vice-captain Kallum Hobrook, who is one of eight players missing for manager Jonathan Kellett.
New signing Euan Derbyshire could be handed a debut.
Coxhoe Athletic are without the injured Andrew Bartle as they travel to Cumbria to face Windscale. There is an allWearside League tie in the TWR Shipowners Charity Cup as Darlington RA host Annfield Plain.
Elsewhere in the competition, Boldon CA striker Liam McBryde has been ruled out of their trip to Darlington Town with a foot injury and West Auckland Tunns have a fully-fit squad for their home game against Washington AFC Reserves.
Two clubs are in Durham FA Trophy action as Harton and Westoe CW travel to Stockton West End and Wolviston face a trip to Gateshead A.