Something has to give as top two sides clash

Jul 4 2009 The Journal

North East Premier League

Newcastle also have a couple of changes with James Matthewson and Mark Cryer replacing Alex Burrows and Paul Lindsay.

Blaydon will select from a squad of 12 for their home game against Tynemouth as Mark Stoneman has still to prove his fitness. The key miss for the visitors is Scott Borthwick who will be on England U-19 duty, Daniel Young returns to the side with Chris Beever preferred to David Hymers.

Richard Coughtrie is back from the dreaming spires to take his place in the Benwell Hill team for their trip to rock-bottom Stockton. The Oxford Universities player has missed the last three weeks but he edges out Joe Thompson in a match that the Hill will be expected to do well in.

Gateshead Fell will be hopeful of improving their mid-table standing at the expense of the team just above them, Sunderland. The Wearsiders are somewhat depleted for the Ashbrooke clash with skipper Imran Shah and Ian Stephenson and Rameez Shahzad unavailable. Youngsters Dan Tansey and Dan Woolston are handed an opportunity. Fell will have to do without the services of Jon Nicholls who has been transferred to Marske.

In the day’s remaining game a depleted Durham Academy play Norton, with Callum Harding injured, Ben Stokes on England age group duty, and Michael Turns and Martin Fearon unavailable.

CHRIS WEST