The reserves continue their build up to the start of the Wearside League season with an away game at Northallerton on Wednesday night, kick off 7.30pm.

The management team of Mark Fanning, Andrew Jinks and Paul Aldsworth are all happy with the pre-season so far, even though they lost at Washington in a quickly arranged friendly last Saturday.

“Even though we lost that game, we still gave a very good account of ourselves,” said MF. “We hit the bar three times, and had a couple of chances cleared off the line. We’re in the right frame of mind to go to Northallerton and give a good account of ourselves.”

There will be 20 players going to Ainderby Road, and they will include a few triallists, plus Dale Milburn, Lee Hume and Kallum Webster who were all on duty with the first team against Newcastle on Monday night.

“We’re starting to whittle the squad down now. There are a few lads who have come out of the Under 18s from last season and have done well, and others we’ve let go.”

The reserves’ remaining pre season games are:

Saturday 22nd July Crook Town (a)

Tuesday 25th July Seaham Red Star (a)

Saturday 29th July Guisborough Town (a)

League season:

Saturday 5th August Prudhoe (a)

Wednesday 9th August Stokesley (a)

Saturday 12th August Hebburn Town (a) Alan Hood Cup

Wednesday 16th August Sunderland West End (a)

Saturday 19th August Harton and Westoe (h)

Wednesday 23rd August Wolviston (a)