Star facing tough task

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 20, 2008

NEWCASTLE Blue Star's director of football Bob Morton was hoping his outfit would have a free week ahead of next Saturday's FA Cup tie at home to Blue Square Premier side Histon.

But those plans were smashed to smithereens after Star drew 2-2 with Sutton Coalfield in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy, with the replay taking place tomorrow night.

Morton said: "We were scheduled to play North Shields in the Northumberland Senior Cup in midweek, but Shields - and the Northumberland Football Association - had agreed to put the tie back a week.

"Now we'll be hitting the road again and already we are going to have to reckon without six players through injury and unavailability."

He continued: "We've got a big task ahead in the replay.

"Sutton didn't have to engineer either of their goals because they were down to our mistakes.

"We didn't play our usual fluent, attacking style of football, but a draw was a fair result.

"We've been knocked off top spot in the table by Ossett Albion, and it's important that we don't start to lose track of our league situation due to cup commitments."