WARRINGTON Town will be looking to get the new month off to a winning start when they host South Shields at Cantilever Park this afternoon.

Both sides could do with the three points to keep in touching distance of the early pacesetters in National League North.

Yellows, currently 15th on the ladder and six points adrift of the play-offs places, have not lost at home to Mariners since January 2022 and will be hoping to take some confidence from the point they earned with a Josh Amis second-half double strike at Darlington last time out.

Town midfielder Mikey O'Neill played a key part in the comeback, coming on as a sub and providing an assist for Amis’ equaliser and was hailed by manager Paul Carden for his performance post-match as being of “a different class”.

Even though O’Neill has started just one of the five games since Carden’s return to the dugout, he is enjoying playing under the new manager and is keen to cement a place in his thoughts moving forward.

“Cards said to just go on and show what I can do, help change the game and show why I should be playing,” he said of the message given to him at half-time last Saturday.

“I feel he recognises the talent I have, and I appreciate the comments after the match as it fills me with more confidence.

“I am determined to be in a position where I am starting games and doing what I need to do for the team, and that is working hard.”

> VIEW: See the current National League North table

The north east outfit will arrive at Loushers Lane on the back of successive 1-0 losses, which leaves them 17th in the table a point behind Carden’s men with a game in hand.

One of their five wins this season so far did come at the expense of Town on their home turf on August 20 when they won 2-1 but they have not tasted victory on the road in the league for two months.

Yellows will go into the clash without the services of defender Evan Gumbs, with Noah Halford, who joined on loan from Bolton last Saturday, potentially making his debut in his place.