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Shildon Vs Newcastle Benfield match preview

Newcastle Benfield return to action for the first time in over a fortnight to face Shildon in the second round of the Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup.

Last time out…

Benfield extended their winning streak to three as they collected another big scalp in the division beating Redcar Athletic 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Glen Hargrave and Kyle Fryatt. This was another great performance for The Lions against promotion-calibre opponents which shows why the playoffs should not just be a distant dream.

Previous meeting…

The two sides met in early September at the MKM Stadium. Fryatt put The Lions a goal to the good in the first half, but that goal wasn’t enough for the three points as Benjamin Reay notched an equaliser home in the 45th minute and it ended all square.

Where the sides sit…

Benfield sit 9th in the table on 46 points just five away from the playoffs and have been in good form but are yet to play in the new year.

The Railwaymen sit top of the league with 53 points from 27 games. Like Benfield, Shildon haven’t played for a few weeks and the last game they played saw them come out 3-1 winners against West Auckland on Boxing Day.

Leo’s prediction…

“Both teams haven’t played for a while due to the weather conditions so you will expect there to be a bit of ring rust from the two teams. Shildon are top of the league for a reason, and this will be a big test for Benfield and a good marker for Andy Ferguson to see how his team matches with one of the best sides in the league.

“The two teams would back themselves to have a good run in the cup due to their form in the league and both sides will be up for it. It will be a tightly fought contest with Benfield nicking it 2-1 in the end.”