Newcastle Blue Star vs Penrith AFC (28/03/2026)

A third successive win for Newcastle Blue Star on Tuesday, three more points added to the board for Paul Brayson’s men but that win increasing in value less than 48 hours later – West Allotment’s exit from the league ratified, points deducted across the league table.

Thankfully for Newcastle Blue Star, their loss to West Allotment earlier in the season has been wiped from the history books, a surge up the table ignited after the 4-1 victory over Kendal then turbocharged once the table had been recalibrated.

The KD Stadium outfit the biggest beneficiary of the Northern League’s recent announcement – one that now sees them start the weekend sitting on the seventh rung of the league ladder with four games of the season left remaining.

Four left after scoring four goals at home to Kendal in midweek. Sean Reid with a first-half double, teammate Dan Stephenson also bagging a brace for himself after the interval in a relatively comfortable victory over a fellow playoff chasing outfit.

Kendal’s hopes of a top five finish dented by the double blow of defeat and then a further three points deducted. They now find themselves out of playoff paying positions in sixth, a single point behind Boro Rangers in fifth.

Boro Rangers six points better off than Blue Star with a game in hand, the margin of error between now and the final weekend of the campaign as small as it can possibly be. The prize if you avoid any errors as big as it can possibly get.

For Blue Star to make further inroads on those teams sitting in touching distance above, they must run the gauntlet of the next four league games. Four more wins will give their hopes a huge boost, a few favours elsewhere would not hurt either.

Then again, the Scotswood outfit can only focus on what they need to do and it begins with the visit of Penrith in just a few hours. The visitors safely in mid-table but will be in no mood to simply lay down before the end of the season.

Something which sets up this upcoming clash rather nicely. A warm welcome goes out to the visiting Penrith team and support and for those who lend their voice to the home team, make sure to bring the noise throughout.