Boss urges squad to fire Jarrow Roofing to safety

McLoughlin has watched his Roofing side suffer a disastrous, error-strewn season to date which leaves the club at serious risk of relegation to the second division.

With nine games left to play, but with a packed end to the season that brings up to three games a week for the Roofers, survival in still in their own hands.

And the South Tynesiders will be hoping that the potent strike threat of Dennis Knight and John Campbell will have enough chances to help propel them to safety.

Bishop Auckland, with seven games remaining, are six points clear, while Penrith are eight points ahead of Roofing, but with five games left.

The Roofing joint-boss is under no illusions as to how difficult the challenge is, starting with the Benfield game.

“They will pose a big test for us, and more so with Paul Brayson playing for them.

“He’s in good form and we will need to be alert to his movement. But all over they are a good side.

“Then again, I feel we have the same in a good side, but we must show a lot more commitment and take the game to them.

“We cannot afford to sit back, we need to attack as we have good fire power in our ranks.

“The two most important things for us are to defend with a lot more commitment and work rate, and then to take the chances when they come along.”

Benfield’s home game against Penrith on Wednesday night was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and any more rain may present a serious threat to the game being on.

That might leave Roofing playing on two consecutive Saturdays and three midweek nights in between with the Northern League’s fixture calendar having been decimated by the weather and the refusal of the FA to grant an extension beyond an additional two days early in May.

Roofing will be without Liam Anderson, who starts a four-match suspension, alongside the injured Jamie Marshall and Iulian Petrache. Shaun Vipond may miss out due to work commitments.

Kick off at Benfield is at 3pm.