Joint reserve team manager Mark Fanning is hoping to continue the team’s steady improvement away to South Shields Reserves in the Wearside League on Wednesday night.

Quakers were unlucky to go down 1-0 to Annfield Plain in the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup last Saturday, and Fanning is hoping that they have better luck in front of goal against Shields.

“There was an improvement in our performance,” he said.

“We had five or six chances last Saturday, and if we’d taken one of those, then who knows what might have happened. We had five or six chances in the game, they had two or three, but unfortunately for us, they took one of them. It was a bit frustrating that we didn’t take advantage of them being down to ten men, but there was plenty to be positive about.

“Results are improving. A month or two ago we were losing games by five or six, and the calibre of our players is slowly improving.”

The reserves gave a debut to 17 year old Jack Wright in goal last Saturday after Connor Pearce dropped out because of illness, and he might be included on Wednesday, while there could be at least one new signing.