With a deluge of August rain falling on Scotswood 10 days ago, it meant Newcastle Blue Star’s league clash with Chester-le-Street was postponed. Thankfully a slightly sunnier climate means that tonight’s meeting with Bedlington Terriers will go ahead.
One that has been keenly anticipated since the Northern League fixture computer sprung into life over the summer. This iteration of Blue Star are considered the relative new kids on the block, Bedlington Terriers are one of the more established names in the North East football scene.
Not only is it an anticipated clash between relative upstarts and tradition, but it is also one that pits two promotion hopefuls together in the first month of the new season - two hopefuls that already find themselves in the top five of the table.
As the league ladder starts to get into place for the season ahead, it is hosts Blue Star who currently sit on the third rung. Opponents Bedlington find themselves two places further back and perhaps more importantly, three points behind.
The reason for the difference in points only came about at the weekend and is primarily twofold. Firstly, the Terriers were inactive at the weekend, as their scheduled meeting with Prudhoe was postponed. Secondly, Brian Smith’s men recorded their fourth successive win of the season.
A victory that was far more dominant than the three that have gone before it. This time it was Blue Star who were first out of the blocks and after getting the opening goal at Esh Winning, they would go up through the gears on the way to victory.
A 4-1 win on the road means that a first clean sheet for the campaign still proves elusive but when you are outscoring your opponents by such a magnitude, this can only be considered a minor gripe as the club’s perfect start to the campaign continues.
Something which sets up this upcoming clash rather nicely. A warm welcome goes out to the travelling Bedlington Terriers team and support and for those who lend their voice to the home team, make sure to bring the noise throughout.