Top scorer Cai Pritchard previews NYFL Cup quarterfinal clash against Scarborough U23s

South Shields take on Scarborough Football Scholarship U23s on Wednesday for a quarter-final tie in the National Football Youth League Cup (12pm kick-off).

The teams will battle for a place in the semi-finals of the competition at Scarborough’s Flamingo Land Stadium.

This game takes place two weeks on from their meeting in the league where the young Mariners won 5-0.

Forward Cai Pritchard reflects on the challenges of encountering the same opponent in quick succession: “I think we know they're probably going to field a slightly different side to the one we faced when they came here.

“We have to take it as a new game and expect it to be a bit different.”

As the team's top goalscorer in all competitions, Pritchard boasts an impressive record of 13 goals in 12 league matches and 4 goals in 3 cup games.

When asked if he could keep his goalscoring tally going he said: “Hopefully till the end of the season.

“We create a lot of chances and have a lot of possession, so its really down to how we play as a team as well.”

Pritchard, who came off the bench for North Shields FC on Monday alongside his International Academy teammate Yeon Hyuk Kwak, shared his thoughts on managing the workload of playing for two clubs: “It’s definitely tough.

“It’s a lot of recovery and obviously going to Martin Nugent’s [strength and conditioning gym] helps a lot as well as managing the workloads with training alongside the games.”