by Ryan Livingston

On Saturday Brian Atkinson's side undertake their first competitive game and first away trip of the season, to Sheffield FC. There'll be a positive mood in the Aycliffe camp after Saturday's friendly win over Step 3 side Basford United. The Worlds Oldest Football Club finished 12th last season, in a season marred with inconsistency. They lost just five times at home but thirteen times on the road. It is Aycliffe's second consecutive season which begins on the road after last seasons opening fixtures against North Ferriby United, which finished in a 4-1 defeat.

Head-To-Head

Newton Aycliffe are unbeaten thus far against Sheffield, with Liam Adamson scoring in both games against them. He's also the only Aycliffe player to score against Sheffield too. The most recent contest in March was a 1-1 draw played at Gainsborough Trinity due to pitch remedial work needed at The Home Of Football. The game looked to be a narrow defeat for Aycliffe until a spectacular wondergoal from Adamson rescued a point in the seventh minute of added time. The prior meeting was a hard fought 1-0 victory for Aycliffe on a September night where the home side had to soak up immense pressure from Sheffield until a 79th minute Adamson goal sealed the three points.

Recent Results

Sheffield FC have already played one competitive game this season, winning 2-1 at home against NPL-West side Nantwich Town in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round. Luke Mangham kicked off the scoring for the home side in the 28th minute until they were pegged back in the second half by Nantwich's Byron Harrison. Sheffield FC would be the next to score however, and Luke Aldrich's 76th minute goal confirmed Sheffield's progress into the next round.

The Ground

It is Newton Aycliffe's first ever visit to The Home Of Football Stadium, which is not in Yorkshire but instead the nearby town of Dronfield, Derbyshire. It is not Sheffield's original ground and was instead purchased from defunct team Norton Woodseats in 2001 after Sheffield FC had struggled whilst playing at the now demolished Don Valley Stadium. The stadium is based behind The Coach and Horses pub, there is another bar inside the ground as well along with a club shop. With a roughly 2 hour drive (109 miles) down the A1, Sheffield FC ranks as one of the longer away trips for Aycliffe.