Blyth Spartans 2-1 Trafford

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ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant

Blyth Spartans 2-1 Trafford
Tuesday 20th August
Croft Park
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Att: 311

Spartans showed they had learnt the lessons of conceding a late equaliser at Marine on Saturday as they opened up their home campaign with a hard fought victory over newly promoted Trafford. First half goals from Joe Kendrick and a first for the season for Dan Maguire ensured that Spartans battled back from conceding an early penalty to notch their first win of the season.

There were two changes for Tom Wade as the unavailability of Dan Parker and Ryan Cummings opened the door for Phil Airey and Nathan Buddle, the latter making his league debut for the club. Craig Hubbard returned to take his place on the bench alongside new addition Arran Wearmouth as Wade and Assistant Manager Colin Myers kept faith with the majority of the side that came so close to beating Marine just three days earlier.

Robbie Dale had a golden chance to hand Spartans the perfect start on four minutes as he bamboozled two defenders but just failed to get a shot away as Trafford captain Nia Bayanu blocked his efforts. The visitors had their first chance twelve minutes in and it was a chance they would take. Winger Shelton Payne was a constant menace to the Spartans back four all night and he beat the offside trap before being brought down by Conor Grant with referee Shaun Hudson pointing to the penalty spot. Payne picked himself up, dusted himself down and coolly slotted the ball home from the spot kick to give The North the lead.

It only took Spartans two minutes to get back on level terms and it was a penalty of their own that ensured they did so. Dan Maguire found a little space in the box and was caught by a clumsy challenge by Steve Mason. Just as he did on Saturday at Marine Joe Kendrick stepped up to take the kick and dispatched it past Tom Read with a clinical finish. Read nearly handed Spartans the lead on twenty five minutes as he found himself in no-mans land when Phil Airey sent a free kick into the Trafford area. Robbie Dale nearly benefited from the indecisiveness of the visitors keeper but his flicked header just went past the far post.

Spartans took the lead just eight minutes before the break and it was a goal of the highest quality. Arjun Purewal showed his class by reading and intercepting a Trafford attack and played a simple ball to Dan Maguire. He played a perfect one-two with Robbie Dale before expertly sliding the ball past Read as the keeper closed him down. If a goal summed up the style and tempo of play Wade and Myers are trying to instil in Spartans then this was it. They did suffer an injury blow on the brink of half time as winger Dean Holmes pulled up with a hamstring strain and that saw Arron Wearmouth come on for his Spartans debut.

A quiet and tentative start to the second half saw neither side grab the initiative until the hour mark. It was Spartans who had the first chance as a perfectly weighted pass from Neal Hooks released the overlapping Phil Airey. The Amble born full back cut in on his left foot and crashed a low effort that Read could only parry but did so enough to clear any danger. It was all Spartans now and there was nearly a first goal in the green and white for midfielder Matthew Wade as he crashed a volley just wide of the far post with everyone inside Croft Park waiting for the net to bulge.

The last fifteen minutes saw Trafford come back into the game in search of a point and again it was Shelton Payne who was at the heart of everything they did. With thirteen minutes left on the clock the winger crashed a shot narrowly over Conor Grant’s bar when he really should have tested the Spartans keeper. As the visitors bombarded the Spartans area the defensive work of Purewal and debutant Buddle came to the fore as they repelled cross after cross.

That’s not to say that Trafford had it all their own way as Robbie Dale had a shot saved by Read but the Trafford keeper was helpless as Matthew Wade again came close to a maiden strike for Spartans heading just wide from a Dale corner. The final action of the game came as a dangerous break for the visitors ended with Grant producing a smart stop to deny a twenty yard drive from Ashton. That save ensured that Spartans built on the impressive draw at Marine and made it four points from six with a deserved win over a dangerous Trafford side.

Worksop Town are the next visitors to Croft Park this coming Saturday as Wade and his side look to continue their promising start to the season. Based on tonight there are clear signs that there is a multi functional Spartans side being built with some excellent pass and move football being played but also a hardworking team ethos being built. Promising signs ahead of the visit of the Tigers.

Spartans Man of the Match: Damen Mullen

Blyth Spartans: Grant, Airey(Hubbard 83), Buddle, Purewal, Kendrick, Wade, Mullen, Hooks, Maguire, Holmes(Wearmouth 41), DaleSubs not used: Tobin, Nolan, Mason Scorers: Kendrick pen 15, Maguire 38

Trafford Read, Brown, Smart, Mason, Bayanu, Fallon, Payne, Andrews, Oates, Krou(Anderson 72), Ashton Subs not used Whight, Nsangou, Halligan, Gallender Goalscorers Payne pen 12

Referee: Shaun Hudson