Boro look to bounce back at home to Blyth Spartans

Boro defender Bailey Gooda is set to return at home to Blyth this Saturday.

Boss Jono Greening was awarded the National League North Manager of the Month award for December, while his Blyth counterpart Graham Fenton, the former North Shields and South Shields boss, will also be desperate for the points, to aid his side’s climb away from the relegation zone, writes Steve Adamson.

When the sides met at Croft Park in August, Michael Coulson and Lewis Maloney (penalty) were on target in Boro’s 2-1 win.

Central defender Bailey Gooda, who missed last week’s defeat at Hereford should be back in the team, and Ciaran McGuckin’s loan spell from Rotherham has been extended to the end of the season.

Blyth could give a debut to 19-year-old striker Troy Chicabi, newly signed from AFC Wimbledon.

Star player for Spartans is centre-back Toby Lees, Player of the Year last season, and he was also voted their Player of the Month for December.

FORM GUIDE - LAST SIX MATCHES

SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC (6th)

Striker Ciaran McGuckin, no 33, has extended his loan for Boro until the rest of the season from Rotherham United

Chester (H) L 1-3 1905

Southport (A) D 1-1 985

Peterborough (H) W 2-1 1145

Darlington (A) W 3-2 3059

Darlington (H) L 2-5 3205

Hereford (A) L 0-2 2061

BLYTH SPARTANS (23rd)

Brackley Town (H) D 1-1 699

Chester (A) L 0-1 2268

York City(FAT) (A) L 0-5 1172

Spennymoor T (H) L 1-3 874

Spennymoor T (A) L 1-2 1556

Kings Lynn T (H) D 0-0 643