Last night’s disappointing 1-3 defeat at the hands of Kendal Town brought down the curtain on Spartans home programme for the 2012/13 season. It’s been a season where Spartans have produced a little bit of everything whether it be the hammering of Stocksbridge Park Steels way back in August or the reversal by the same scoreline at the hands of a rampant AFC Fylde side in March. There have been penalties galore, red cards, thrilling comebacks, late heartache and goals aplenty. So here is the run down on just what Spartans have done this season on their home patch.
There have been seventy nine goals in all competitions at Croft Park this term. Forty of which have been scored by Spartans and thirty nine scored by the opposition. That means an average of 3.16 goals per game. The highest scoring games both produced six goals. The early season 3-3 draw against Marine and October’s 4-2 win over Frickley Athletic(Phil Airey shown above scoring in the fixture) being the games in question. Spartans biggest win was the 5-0 win in their first home fixture of the season whilst their heaviest defeat was by the same scoreline against AFC Fylde in March.
Spartans have had sixteen different goalscorers in their home games. Striker Phil Airey leading the way with six goals followed by a quintet of players(Robbie Dale, Craig Farrell, Joe Kendrick, Dan Maguire and Lee Mason) on four strikes. Neal Hooks’ first half effort last night against Kendal Town meant he became the sixth Spartans player to notch a single goal in home games. He joined a list that contained Tom Berj, Andy Jennings, Jordan Mellish, Stephen Turnbull and Shaun Utterson.
Spartans have ended their home campaign without a player scoring a hat-trick although several players have come close with five different players hitting braces. Those players being Dan Maguire(Ashton United), Phil Airey(Frickley Athletic), Joe Kendrick(pictured against Marine), Robbie Dale and Craig Farrell(both Stocksbridge Park Steels).
Penalties have been a regular feature of Spartans season in general and they have been awarded eleven in fixtures at Croft Park. Six of those spot kicks have been successfully converted, three saved by opposition keepers and two missed the target. The successful spot kicks were Joe Kendrick(Marine), Craig Farrell(Rushall Olympic), Robbie Dale(Ashton United) and Craig Hubbard(Buxton(above) and Worksop Town).
Spartans have had three different managers during the campaign and their home records are as follows.
Tommy Cassidy
Played: 6
Won: 2
Lost: 2
Drawn: 2
Goals for: 12
Goals against: 9
Win %: 33.33
Paddy Atkinson
Played: 14
Won: 5
Lost: 4
Drawn: 5
Goals for: 20
Goals against: 22
Win %: 35.71
Tom Wade
Played: 5
Won: 3
Lost: 2
Drawn: 0
Goals for: 8
Goals against: 8
Win %: 60.00
The complete fixtures list for home games this season is below(match reports can be found by clicking on the scoreline):
August
Stocksbridge Park Steels(ESNPL) 5-0 Mellish, Dale(2), Farrell(2)
Hednesford Town(ESNPL) 1-2 Airey
September
Marine(ESNPL) 3-3 Kendrick(2, 1 pen), Farrell
Garforth Town(FACQ) 1-0 Airey
Chorley(ESNPL) 1-3 Airey
Workington(FACQ) 1-1 Berj
October
Rushall Olympic(ESNPL) 1-1 Farrell(pen)
Frickley Athletic(ESNPL) 4-2 Mason, McGorrigan, Airey(2)
November
Stafford Rangers(ESNPL) 1-0 McGorrigan
Whitley Bay(NSC) 0-0 AET
Eastwood Town(ESNPL) 1-0 Kendrick
Nantwich Town(ESNPL) 1-1 Buchanan
December
FC United of Manchester(ESNPL) 1-1 Airey
Witton Albion(ESNPL) 0-3
Whitby Town(ESNPL) 2-2 Jennings, McGorrigan
January
Matlock Town(ESNPL) 2-1 Buchanan, Lukic(og)
February
Buxton(ESNPL) 2-2 Utterson, Hubbard(pen)
Ashton United(ESNPL) 4-1 Dale(pen), Mason, Maguire(2)
North Ferriby United(DSC) 1-2 Mason
March
AFC Fylde(ESNPL) 0-5
Ilkeston(ESNPL) 3-2 Turnbull, Maguire, Kendrick(pen)
April
North Ferriby United(ESNPL) 0-1
Worksop Town(ESNPL) 3-2 Dale, Hubbard(pen), Mason
Grantham Town(ESNPL) 1-0 Maguire
Kendal Town(ESNPL) 1-3 Hooks