South Shields are looking to make one final push for the National League North title over the next week.

Paul Blackett has expressed his determination to fire South Shields to promotion after hitting a red-hot streak of goalscoring form ahead of the final week of the season.

The Mariners head into today’s home game with Bedford Town sitting at the top of the National League North table after claiming successive wins against Radcliffe and Macclesfield over the last seven days. The victories were underpinned by some fine attacking play as Ian Watson’s side plundered their way to nine goals and Blackett was the main beneficiary as he netted three times.

Those efforts took his seasonal tally to 29 league goals in just 40 appearances and he has now scored 14 goals in his last 14 games since returning from an injury in mid-February. The former Gateshead and Spennymoor Town striker is relishing the opportunity to spearhead a Mariners side focused on creating chances and is hoping he can add to his ever-increasing tally before the season comes to an end.

He told The Gazette: “Since I’ve come back from a little bit of an injury in February, March time, I’ve been right amongst the goals at the right times. As a team, we are picking up some good results and obviously we had a sticky patch with some away games where we didn’t get results we wanted but we are back at it now.

“Personally, I feel like I am going into every game feeling like I am going to score and the team feels like it’s in a good place at the right time too. We work a lot every single day on where we want to hurt teams and where I need to be so it’s more about a knowing and understanding of everyone around you so I know where to be. I have been there recently, I should have a few more goals, but that’s me being extra critical but we are creating a lot of chances and I know where I need to be.”

Focus

Paul Blackett celebrates after scoring in South Shields 4-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round win against Spalding United (photo Kevin Wilson) | Kevin Wilson

placeholder image — Paul Blackett celebrates after scoring in South Shields 4-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round win against Spalding United (photo Kevin Wilson) | Kevin Wilson

Only goal difference separates the Mariners and title rivals AFC Fylde ahead of the final two games of what has been a fascinating battle to earn the solitary automatic promotion spot available in the National League North. It is South Shields that top the table ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Bedford thanks to narrowly superior goal difference and the title battle looks set to be decided by wafer-thin margins over the coming week. However, Blackett has stressed his side must look beyond their attempts to improve their goal difference and focus on taking maximum points from their last two games of the season.

He said: “When you start trying to force things and become desperate to score those goals, you lose everything else you’re trying to work on. We have scored nine goals in the last two games doing what we do without the stress of having to think we need to score those goals. The goal difference isn’t something we should focus on, it’s a focus on playing our own game and winning the games to see where that puts us.”

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