On Saturday Ryton are back down that all too familiar A19, this time to face Billingham Synthonia hoping to carry on the momentum from Tuesday night’s win over Alnwick. The Synners are still very much in the relegation mire, that six point deduction earlier in the season doing them no favours, but they have witnessed an upturn in results, netting nine times in their last three home games which included a 5-0 thumping of Seaham Red Star on the back of our 5-1 win over them. We’ve played Synners 27 times in all, including the E Armstrong Cup (last season), the Durham Challenge Cup (the 2010 final), the FA Vase (our first meeting) and even the FA Cup (way back in 2008/09), but most recently at the Oldhaulage Stadium in September we won 2-0 with goals from Kurtis Dodds and Louis Calvert separating the sides. Josh Skivington’s ban for his red card on Tuesday doesn’t kick in until next Tuesday so he’s eligible for the trip to Stockton Town’s Bishopton Road West ground (TS19 0QD) where the Synners are now based.

We have found out who we meet in the quarter finals of the E Armstrong Cup should we beat Chester le Street Town in our 2nd round tie, and it’s a home tie against the winners of Newcastle University v Boldon Colliery being played tonight at Essity Park

Thursday’s E Armstrong Cup Result

Newcastle University 4 (Cassidy, Pennington 2, Allen) Boldon CA 1 (Cowburn)