Blyth Spartans 0-3 Witton Albion

In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant

Blyth Spartans 0-3 Witton Albion
Saturday 15th December
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Croft Park
Attendance: 222

Spartans were given a lesson in finishing at Croft Park today as Witton Albion took all three points and inflicted their third defeat of the season on Paddy Atkinson’s side. Three clinical finishes from Steve Foster, Daniel Andrews and Shaun Tuck ensured that the Cheshire based side carried on their promotion challenge and left Spartans looking towards a tricky looking festive period as they look to get themselves into the top half of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League.

New signing Andrew Jennings started for Spartans after completing a move from Billingham Synthornia on Friday and was partnered up front by Dan Maguire in the absence of Phil Airey(virus) and Ryan McGorrigan(suspended). Neal Hooks was still out injured and loan signing Marcus Maddison was made unavailable for the game by his parent club Newcastle United. Goalkeeper Craig Pickering took his place on the bench for the first time since signing from Bedlington Terriers three weeks ago.

Spartans started off the better side and had two chances in the first eight minutes with new signing Jennings at the heart of both chances. Maguire latched on to a Jennings flick on in the sixth minute but after beating Paul Booth in the box, Maguire could only drag his effort wide of the near post. Two minutes later Jennings came within a whisker of a debut goal as he got on the end of a Robbie Dale cross from the left only to see his header drift wide of Cooper’s far post. For all of their early pressure Spartans could and probably should have went behind on ten minutes when a Gardner cross found winger Joshua Hancock who headed onto the bar from eight yards out. A let off for Spartans no doubt about it but they were so nearly guilty of shooting themselves in the foot two minutes later as Kendrick and Slaughter left a long ball to each other but only succeeded in allowing Albion winger Andrews in one on one with Grant. Fortunately for Spartans Andrews panicked and lashed an effort over the bar from ten yards out.

The chances kept coming and it would be Spartans who had the next one as Jennings again came so close to a debut goal. He latched onto a hooked Slaughter clearance and from fully forty yards smashed a volley goalwards. Albion keeper Cooper was in no mans land on the edge of his box and could only watch the ball sail over him and bounce on the edge of the six yard box before only just clearing the cross bar. As the first period carried on the recent heavy weather had an impact on the pitch and this in turn meant that the game turned scrappy with both sides struggling to get the ball down and play. However on the stroke of half time the visitors nearly took the lead with a free kick from Hancock. The winger curled an effort from twenty yards just past Conor Grant’s near post with the Spartans number one seemingly beaten. That miss ensured the teams went into the interval with the deadlock still to be broken.

Again it would be Spartans who started the second period on top as Dale broke away from midfield. He released Dan Maguire in the inside left channel and the former Seaton Delaval front man struck a low effort that deflected off Albion defender Wood, that forced Cooper into an instinctive stop to keep his side on level terms. Not that they would be on level terms for long as Albion went straight up the other end of the pitch and showed Spartans how it is done in front of goal. Albion captain Sheehan evaded the challenge of Berj and broke away down the right hand side of the Spartans area. He was given too much time to pick out the on rushing Steven Foster and the striker curled a hard low shot past Grant to put his side ahead.

As Spartans attempted to put the visitors under pressure in order to get back on level terms they would be hit on the break again as they failed to clear a Hancock cross. The loose ball ran to Daniel Andrews and he crashed a twenty yard thunderbolt into Grant’s top right hand corner to double Albion’s lead. Grant did manage to prevent the visitors adding a third minutes later when he blocked a shot from Albion right back Gardner as he latched on to a clever through ball from the impressive Hancock. Spartans would have two golden chances to get back into the game as Maguire looped a header from a Vipond cross just past the far post and Slaughter clipped the outside of the post with a low shot but the last word would go to the visitors as substitute Shaun Tuck latched on to a long ball and turned Buchanan inside out before firing across Grant and into the far corner to seal all three points for his side.

So Spartans head into the festive period with an away trip to Hednesford Town before welcoming Whitby Town to Croft Park. Management team Paddy Atkinson and Tom Wade will be hoping to add to their squad before the trip to the Midlands where they will also welcome back Airey, McGorrigan and Hooks.

Spartans Man of the Match: Andrew Jennings

Blyth Spartans: Grant, Utterson, Slaughter, Berj(Stanger 75), Buchanan, Kendrick, Mason(Mullen 82), Vipond, Jennings, Maguire, Dale Subs not used:Hodgson, Pickering, Donnelly Scorer: none

Witton Albion:Cooper, Gardner, Wood, Harrison, Booth, Sheehan, Hancock, James, Shaw, Foster(Tuck 72), Andrews(Harrison 75) Subs not used: Clayton, Mosley, Glover Goalscorers Foster 53, Andrews 62, Tuck 88

Referee: Mr Liddle