Saints ready to depose the blues

St Martin’s travel to Northfield where a fifth league win in six starts would take them a point ahead of the Port Soif club, with two games in hand.

Just over a year ago before the pandemic first struck, it was Northerners in the driving seat, but a pile of injuries has hit them hard and, with just one win in their last five, they sit well off the pace for a top-three finish.

But, as North demonstrated at Port Soif last weekend, there is plenty of spirit in the group and with star striker Sam Murray possibly returning tonight, this is no three-point ‘gimme’ for the visitors.

Saints, of course, have a striker in hotter form than Murray, who still heads the scoring charts alongside Kyle Smith.

His name is Danny Hale and although 14 goals shy of the top duo’s tally, since the emergence from lockdown he has been the man to spark them going forward, scoring regularly.

John Peace, Saints’ assistant coach, acknowledged as much after the vital win over Manzur last weekend.

‘That’s what he is capable of doing – finding pockets of space and banging it in the top corner. Today he’s worked hard as well. Defensively he’s come back and worked hard – yeah, I was impressed with Danny today, he was good.’

Leon Meakin, who will be back in the dugout tonight and may recall Jamie Dodd to his defence, said his young striker had ‘been outstanding since we’ve been back’.

‘Danny is the sort of player who needs to play in week in, week out. He has had that. He is so talented.’

Just a couple of hundred yards away, Vale Rec entertain Rangers in a key game at the bottom of the table.

Both kick off at 7.30pm.