Heywood calls on Hebburn to improve away record to boost play-off push

Hebburn Town defender Aidan Heywood wants his side to use Saturday’s visit to Warrington Rylands as a catalyst for an improvement in their away form.

Rylands actually provided Hebburn’s first ever opponents in step three as the Hornets claimed a 1-0 home win on the opening day of the campaign thanks to an Olly Martin strike. That win over their ten-man visitors kickstarted what has already been a memorable season for Daniel Moore’s side and they head into Saturday’s reverse fixture sat just one point and one place adrift of the play-off spots after picking up successive wins home wins against Blyth Spartans and Workington, as well as battling to a 1-1 draw at Stockton Town.

However, it is on the road where Heywood believes his side must improve if they are to kick on during the second half of the season and secure a play-off place in their first ever season in the third tier of the non-league game.

He told The Gazette: “Any game in this league is a banana skin and Rylands were a good side when we played them first day of the season and they had a man sent off too. They were a side I thought were dangerous and they’ve always been in and around the play-offs since they’ve got into this league.

“So it’s a tough one for us, we know it is, but it’s the sort of game we have to win if we want to get into those play-offs. You always want to make your home a fortress an we have been good at home but the away form needs improving. We have been unlucky in some away games this season and you can’t go around saying it’s all and ifs and buts. Turning those one points into threes is something we need to look at doing if we want to push on during the second half of the season.”

Midfielder Paul Van Zandvliet is pushing for a start in Saturday’s game after he came off the bench to score in the New Years Day win against Workington.