MATCH PREVIEW: Taking Stock

Reds will play their final home game of 2025 on Saturday when they host Stockton Town at Borough Park (3pm).

It has been a stop-start season and the lack of continuity is just one of many problems we have had to deal with. The team have had four free Saturdays to date and there will be at least two more next month.

At least, after January, we should be playing on a week-to-week basis and hopefully, by then, finding some joy on the pitch.

Manager Billy Barr believes Reds will have a better second half of to the campaign but knows they cannot operate below strength on a regular basis. The players have trained well over the last fortnight but injury and suspension will again dictate team selection.

Stockton Town will again prove a formidable opponent and we don’t need reminding of our miserable record against them in the three previous meetings.

They made surprise exits in both Cup and Trophy earlier in the season but can now concentrate fully on another push for the play-offs. They are currently in 6th position and have 31 points from their twenty games, thanks to eight wins and seven draws.

Reds remain at the foot of the Premier Division table with just fifteen points.

The weather has been very unkind this week and the pitch has varied from playable to unplayable three or four times already but the club is optimistic the game will go ahead.

• And don’t forget, if you still have Christmas presents to buy for the Reds’ fan in your family there are some very nice ‘stocking-fillers’ available from the club shop inside the Tony Hopper bar.