The Mariners suffered their first defeat at home on New Year’s Day and just their second league defeat all season as Steve Kittrick’s Scarborough Athletic left the North East with a 3-1 win.

The Brewers will be coming into the tough looking encounter buoyed after a perfect start to 2018 dispatching of Brighouse Town 5-0 on Monday.

It’s difficult to determine whether this is a good time to play Shields or not, you could look at it both ways.

On one hand they may be somewhat vulnerable after suffering a deflating loss but on the other hand they could bounce back to be at their very best looking for a quick and positive reaction.

One thing that is for certain though is that Albion will have to be at their best if they are going to stifle a powerful and experienced South Shields side.

Taddy currently sit ten points off the play-off places as we enter the second half of the season. As long as you stay in and around the chasing pack then you’ve always got a chance with plenty of points still all to play for.

South Shields however are in a fantastic position to achieve back-to-back promotions sitting one point behind leaders Prescot Cables with five games in hand.

Team News: Taddy may have somewhat of a selection dilemma with Conor Sellars and Josh Greening looking to return to the starting line-up but Joe Pugh and Adam Baker will be hoping to keep their places, particularly Pugh after recording a goal and an assist on his first start.

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