MATCH PREVIEW: Steel towns ‘derby’ renewed

It is twenty-one years since we last crossed swords with Stocksbridge Park Steels so it will be good to reacquaint with the South Yorkshire club on Saturday as managerless Reds return to Northern Premier League action.

The clubs have been moving in opposite directions over the past two decades but are set to play each other for the seventeenth time under the NPL banner.

We were regular opponents over eight seasons, between 1996 and 2004, and the head-to-head reveals a closely fought rivalry. Both teams have recorded four wins apiece in the series with the other six matches drawn.

They were promoted, via the play-offs, last season after a third-place finish although the promotion final against Dunston was decided via a penalty shoot-out. Steels had spent eleven seasons in the East/South-East divisions but return to the Premier for the first time since 2014.

Steels are in good form at the moment and were impressive FA Trophy winners at Hyde last time out. They are currently 17th in the league and have fourteen points in the bank.

Brian Dawson and Billy Redden, expecting to take charge of the team for the final time, have a strong squad available – despite the absence of suspended duo David Symington and Charlie Barnes, as well as the recent departures of Aran Fitzpatrick and Sharif Deans.

Venue: Bracken Moor Lane

Postcode: S36 2AN

Mileage: 171

Kick-off: 3pm