Saturday 14th November
Blue Square North
Attendance – 527
Blyth Spartans –
Mark Bell, Stephen Harrison, Darren Craddock, Michael Tait, Gareth Williams, Rikki Bains, Chris McCabe (sub Simon Todd 31 mins), Stephen Turnbull, Paul Brayson, Josh Gillies, Adrian Webster (sub John Alexander 77 mins).
Subs Not Used – Ian Graham, John Brackstone & Jack Norton.
Eastwood Town –
Jan Budtz, Russell Cooke, Emeka Nwadike, Craig McAughtrie, Paul Robinson, Markell Bailey, Martin Foster, Peter Knox (sub Danny Holland 60 mins), Ian Holmes, Lindon Meikle
Subs Not Used – Ross Gardner, David Brown, Ryan Whitehurst & Dion Chambers
Spartans were unable to make the extra man second half advantage to fall to another heavy home defeat.
Spartans had had the best chances of a fairly even first period. A Gareth Williams free kick was narrowly headed wide from Paul Brayson. Then Josh Gillies broke through the Town defence before Jans Buntz saved has shot from inside the area.
Two fairly soft bookings saw the visitors reduced to ten men with only 47 minutes on the clock. Markell Bailey picking up his second card for the late brush with Darren Craddock.
From then on Eastwood sat back but looked to counter. Just before the hour mark Brayson’s free kick kick was tipped over and then his cheeky chip bounced off the cross bar.
But it was the visitors who took the lead only moments later. Simon Todd gave away a free kick centre midfield. Martin Foster hopeful dink into the penalty saw Spartans keeper Mark Bell decide to come to punch the ball but all he managed to do was flatten 3 of his own players before the ball broke to Town’s substitute Danny Holland who found Craig McAughtrie at the far post to force the ball home.
Only 2 minutes later worse was to follow for the home side. Emeka Nwadike’s throw in found Holland who was allowed to get past 2 players before finding Foster 30 yards from goal, his low shot beat Bell just inside the left post.
Spartans rallied and should have got a goal back after Stephen Turnbull did well to whip a low cross into the 6 yard area somehow keeper Buntz missed the ball but more amazing was the miss from sub John Alexander only 4 yards out centre of the goal put his shot yards past the goal!!
With 3 minutes left Craddock pressed the self destruct button, he played a wayward pass out of deference only for Ian Holmes to run on to score Eastwood’s 3rd.
Brayson got Spartans consultation goal with 2 minutes remaining.