Paul Burton hailed the importance of momentum as his Seasiders look to continue a three game unbeaten run against Birtley Town on Saturday afternoon.

The boss branded the visiting Hoops a formidable side, admitting they would be well drilled and organised and pose a serious threat.

Birtley sit above Marske in the league table, though fall behind on current form due to a mixed string of results.

The Seasiders come into the game on their best spell of the season to date, beating both Northallerton and Shildon on home soil, before taking a point on the road in Walkergate last weekend.

Paul Burton noted the importance of that momentum, urging his players to turn that into the confidence needed to go out there and win games of football.

“They’re a good side, Birtley,” he said.

They’re a physical side. They score lots but they concede quite a bit too. I think they’re an entertaining side, and they’re always up and around the play-off spots.

“I know the manager, Paul Foster. He’ll have them well drilled and well organised, so I think they’ll be a real challenge for us.

“It’ll be another opportunity to see where we are. I keep saying that. We’re still early days. I think it’ll be a tough challenge.

We want to carry on our momentum. It’s about building game by game. We want to go out there and win games of football, keep that run going and pick up points.

“Then, we’ll see where we are at Christmas.

“But, momentum is massive. We want to have that confidence to believe we can win. We’ve shown it in the league. We’ve shown that we can compete.

“We got beat 3-0 by Bishop Auckland, but we gave a good account of ourselves. It’s only against Thornaby we were poor.

“We can still improve, we know that. But we’ve been good in patches and games. Now we need to be consistent, and that is why momentum is massive.”

Burton was also quizzed on mounting injuries, particularly in the defensive third.

Tom Marron and Richie Allen both left the field through injury against Newcastle Benfield last weekend, whilst Danny Boyle pulled up during the warm-up during Tuesday’s abandoned game in Horden.

“Tom Marron will probably be out for four weeks.” He said.

“It’s a recurrence of his previous injury. It might even by tied into his back and the sciatic nerve. He has an appointment next week, but I’d be surprised if we see him back before the end of October.

“We’re not going to rush him back. He’s our captain, and we don’t want to lose him for a longer period.

“Richie - he came off straight away. He’s been icing it and it has improved, but again, we don’t want to rush him back.

“We’ll be careful with him.

“Danny, he pulled his groin during the warm-up against Horden. They allowed us to change the line-up and the bench quarter of an hour before the game, so I was quite impressed with that.

“That doesn’t always happen. I don’t think he’ll be involved today though. Tuesday might come too soon for him as well.

“We are about to lose Clayton for three games. He got sent off on Tuesday night. That might affect what we do today.

“James Sayer is back from suspension though, so he is in contention this afternoon. Dan Bean will be back in the squad too.”