It’s ninth against tenth in the Ebac Northern League Division 1 this evening as Billingham Synthonia host Hebburn Team with both teams having dropped down the table slightly following last night’s league games, though only a solitary point separates them.
After a superb fightback against Sunderland RCA on Saturday, where the Hornets were losing 3-0 after 70 minutes and then grabbed a last minute equaliser through Scott Robson, the South Tynesiders will be looking to put their winless home record behind them and continue their 100% run away from home.
Scott Robson: scorer of a late equaliser against RCA on Saturday.
Synners, meanwhile, have had some great results at home this season where they have defeated both Whitley Bay and Bishop Auckland, though they drew their last game at Central Avenue against Shildon. The home side also secured a draw on Saturday when they travelled to Team Northumbria with the result being 2-2.
This is only the third Northern League encounter between the two teams and the first since the 2000-01 season when Synners completed the double over Hebburn. The two teams have met twice since then, both times in the Durham Challenge Cup, with Hebburn still looking for their first win.
Stu Nicholson: faces late fitness test.
Paul Bennett travels to Billingham with Paul Wardle, Jeff Forsyth and Tony Stephenson all missing while Mark Rasmussen has now left the club and will be sunning himself in Australia.
There will be late fitness tests for Az Croft, Stuart Nicholson and Liam McBryde while one player who will be involved is Cal Charlton who returned to the club prior to the RCA match and acquitted himself well when he was brought on as a second-half substitute.
Cal Charlton: back involved.
“This is a good chance to get back to playing football on what is always a superb playing surface,” said Bennett. “This will be a very tough game against a very tough side who are dangerous going forward. We have to be aware of their firepower. But we are travelling full of confidence.”
Kick-off is 7.30pm tonight and the postcode for The Glamal Engineering Stadium is TS23 1LR.
