Birtley Town vs Newcastle Blue Star (24/10/2025)

An even split of six goals meant Newcastle Blue Star had to make do with a share of the points last Saturday. Current league leaders Guisborough Town making their way to the KD Stadium and almost coming away with a full maximum for their efforts.

However, Marc Nash’s men dug deep to get themselves back into the game and after already finding themselves 2-0 down at the interval, a quickfire pair of strikes straight after the break from Paul Dudgeon and Liam Wotherspoon restored parity for the first time that afternoon.

With the pendulum swinging back in Guisborough’s favour seven minutes from time, there was still enough time for late drama to unfold. Drama that came in the form of a penalty award to Blue Star and with Liam Wotherspoon being given the invite to his second, he was in no mood to refuse.

His effort from 12 yards slotted home, the mood for Blue Star arguably mixed at full time. On the one hand, the resilience to get back into the game on two occasions against the pacesetters is a positive. On the other, a nagging feeling that another two points have been dropped in Blue Star’s playoff bid.

Glass half empty or glass half full, Blue Star need to be at their fullest from here on in. They start the weekend’s activity sitting 11th in the table, the gap between the top five and themselves looking slightly uncomfortable.

A return to winning ways would certainly be welcomed by all involved and it is a situation that could be rectified as quickly as this evening.

A relatively short trip to Birtley Town on the agenda, the agenda itself feels like a must win game.

Then again, you could say the same for tonight’s hosts and although they go into the game sitting 14th in the table, there is not much of a buffer between themselves and the relegation zone.

Victory for Birtley would allow them more breathing space before the clock’s go back this weekend.

Something which sets up tonight’s clash rather nicely indeed. A big thanks to Birtley Town for the upcoming hospitality and for those attending from an away perspective, safe travels both there and back.