BY Jordan Cronin
In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
FA Cup Third Round Qualifying Replay
Saturday, September 24th, 2019
Blyth Spartans recorded their first win of the season and progressed into the Third Round Qualifying of the FA Cup after beating Curzon Ashton 1-0.
Lee Clark’s side peppered the visitors goal in the first-half before getting their just rewards after Michael Sweet’s 47th-minute goal – his first in Green and White colours.
Clark named an unchanged starting 11 from the first meeting with Joe Robson returning to the bench following a one-match suspension. Meanwhile, Curzon opted to field four changes.
And it’s fair to say you wouldn’t see a more one-sided half an hour of football as Blyth squandered chance after chance to take the lead.
Callum Roberts, fresh from his hat-trick, found space on the right and delivered across the face of goal to Adam Wrightson, who fired over from close range.
Just over 10 minutes later, Wrightson was in the thick of the action again, cutting in from the left and striking his effort through a sea of bodies that Kia Calderbank-Park kept out.
While opportunities on goal were frequent, Spartans showed their composure in possession, exampled by Robbie Dale, Sweet and Roberts – with the latter striking wide in a superb move.
Then, Calderbank-Park pulled off the save of the night, superbly thwarting Wrightson as the ball bounced onto the underside of the bar before falling kindly for the visiting goalkeeper.
Spartans found it hard to beat to Calderbank-Park but he did carry a bit of luck when a ball into the box was mis-timed – looping over his head, though was fortunate to eventually claim with Sweet lurking.
You felt it was never going to happen for Clark’s side when Wrightson smashed his effort onto the post. The rebound found to Dale, who horribly blasted over the rebound.
As Curzon began to find their feet in the game in the final 15 minutes of the first-half, Blyth were dealt an injury blow as Rhys Evans hobbled off with Robson replacing him.
However, while the visitors went into the break with some momentum, Sweet, the man of the moment, deservedly broke the deadlock for Spartans in the 47th minute.
Sweet held his run to power into the penalty area before lacing his attempt into the bottom left corner, leaving the inspired Calderbank-Park with no chance.
From then on, Blyth dug deep to restrict the visitors to long-range shots – mostly from Luke Wall and Daniel Trickett-Smith – and Foden endured a relatively quiet end to the evening.
No matter what, it was always going to be a nervy finish but Spartans seen it out to record their first win of the season and set up an away trip with Hednesford in the next round.
Blyth Spartans: Foden, Evans (Robson, 43), Callaghan, Mullen, Ritson, Devitt, Wrightson, Scott, Sweet (Amantchi, 85), Roberts, Dale. Subs not used: Orrell, Shanley, Mouanda, Gray, Harker.
Goal: Sweet (47)
Curzon Ashton: Calderbank-Park, Halls, Davies, Wroe, Ali, Thornley, Banister (Askew, 83), Merrill (Sinclair 74), Saunders, Trickett-Smith, Wall. Subs not used: Mason, Cooke.
Attendance: 491
Referee: Adam Herzeg