Preview by North Derbyshire Radio’s Elliot Steadman
UP NEXT:
Buxton travel north to take on South Shields on Saturday, 30th August, with a 3pm kickoff.
The Bucks
Buxton fell to a narrow 3-2 defeat against ten-man Curzon Ashton on Bank Holiday Monday.
Tai Sodje and Ryan McLean both found the net for Buxton, but their efforts weren’t enough to rescue a result.
Reflecting on the performance, manager John McGrath said:
“Obviously it’s a quick turnaround and you have to play a game two days later, but it’s the same for Curzon, who out ran us, out battled us, and out played us today.
Today everything was minimum, and it wasn’t good enough. Again, we concede from set pieces, stuff that we work on.
It’s time now to man up a little bit. We aren’t an academy side there’s points at stake, there’s a league to be won, there’s playoffs to be got.
But if we don’t start turning a corner, you run out of games of football.”
Inside the Opposition Camp: Sam Jones South Shields Media Officer
What are your thoughts on last season ?
Last season was a mixture of different emotions, going into it with a positive feeling around the group and good recruitment, but sadly injuries crept in to important players, meaning academy players were utilised for league games. There were some very positive moments, beating Chester at home who were top of the league at the time but the travelling fans always came in their numbers as they always do, I’d say it’s one thing that puts us above other teams is our away support
How has your start of the season gone ?
We have had a real positive start to the season, taking maximum points from our opening 5 games and only conceding one goal in the process from a penalty so yet to concede from open play
Any key standout players ?
People in this league will all know Paul Blackett, he’s had a very good two seasons, picking up the top scorer award in his first with 29 goals and scoring 22 the season after
How has the manager recruited ?
From what I’ve seen, the management have identified people they know can play the way they want to play, they have also focused on players that they have worked with before who they can trust, Robbie Tinkler is a great example of that
What are your expectations for this season ?
Judging by the start of the season, the lads are taking well to the process that the management is implementing, so as long as they can keep to it, it’s going to be a very exciting season
Do you have a score prediction for our game ?
I’d love for us to continue our good defensive record, and going off the form we’re in I’d like to say we take it 2-0
Opposition facts
South Shields play their football at the 1st Cloud Arena which has a capacity of 4000.
Ian Watson was appointed in May and won the National League North as an assistant manager when he was at Gateshead.
They are nicknamed The Mariners and were founded in 1888 as South Shields Adelaide Athletic before reforming in 1974 as South Shields FC.
Last season they finished 17th National League North finishing on 54 points.
They got promoted to the league in the 2022-23 season when they won the Northern Premier League.
In the 2016-17 season they won the FA Vase beating Cleethorpes Town in the final.
So far this season South Shields have won all five games and have only conceded one goal.
Most recently they beat Bedford 2-1 with a goal each for Cedwyn Scott and William Jenkins.
One to Watch: Ethan Mann
Former Buxton player Ethan Mann has been solid at the back and a good reason why they have kept four clear sheets so far.
The 20 year old defender is 6ft1 and played 30 games in the National League North for The Bucks last season.
Last time they faced
A late winner from Oli Ewing was the difference when the sides met in February.
In the reverse fixture last season it was a 1-0 win for South Shields after Aidan Rutledge scored for The Mariners.
