In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Blyth Spartans 2-2 Nantwich Town
Saturday 5th October
Croft Park
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Att: 381
A spirited second half fight back from Spartans ensured they overcame a two goal deficit at the break and took a point from Nantwich Town. Second half goals from Arjun Purewal and Dan Maguire meant that Tom Wade’s side remained in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League play off zone after Oliver Devenney and an Arron Burns penalty had given the Dabbers the half time lead.
Wade had to contend with the loss of experienced midfield duo Neal Hooks and Craig Hubbard following their red cards in the win at Witton Albion two weeks again. There was a new addition on the team sheet with striker Ash Davis starting his second spell at the club on the bench. Wade did hand a home debut to former Hibernian midfielder Lewis Horner and Canadian Under 23 International Michal Misiewicz.
The first action of the game saw the visitors take the lead in the seventh minute. Midfielder Oliver Devenney broke away from the centre circle and took full advantage of Spartans failure to close up down by unleashing a low strike from twenty yards past Misiewicz and into the bottom left hand corner of his net. The first meaningful effort from Spartans came two minutes later as Horner crossed from the left but striker Dan Maguire could only send an acrobatic volley just past the far post.
A lack of communication in midfield saw the Dabbers handed a chance to double their lead. A mix up between Horner and Matthew Wade allowed former Spartans loanee Max Harrop to release Arron Burns in on goal. He rounded Misiewicz who promptly brought the former Ashton United striker down. Burns stepped up to take the spot kick and slotted it just beyond Misiewicz and into the bottom left hand corner.
Just after the half hour mark Burns was nearly at it again as he got past Nathan Buddle but his ambitious chip from the edge of the box only found the top of the Spartans net. Minutes later came the most controversial incident of the game. A Phil Airey ball into the box was collected by Dabbers keeper Terry Smith who landed outside his area. Sheepish looks were made towards referee Mr Liddle from the visitors goalkeeper but Liddle unexpectedly waved play on, incensing the Croft Park faithful in the process.
Liddle and his assistant in front of the Port of Blyth stand further wound up the Green Army on the stroke of half time after a coming together between Burns and Spartans left back Lancaster. With Burns expecting a free kick he put two hands on the ball to place the free kick, unaware that it hadn’t been awarded. Burns was then allowed to play on despite as clear a handball as you could wish to see before being fouled by Buddle. Fortunately the resulting free kick led to nothing and the away side went into the break good value for their two goal lead.
Whatever was said in the Spartans dressing room at half time – most of it more than likely unprintable – almost had an instant impact. Just five minutes into the second period a wonderful passing move almost saw Spartans back in the game. Wade and substitute Ash Davis combined on the left to find Horner in midfield. He was given time to pick a pass and duly obliged by releasing Maguire into the left hand side of the area. Despite pressure from his marker the diminutive forward struck a rising effort from the angle that clipped the Dabbers crossbar and went over.
Just five minutes later Spartans would have better luck and got back in the game. Damen Mullen struck a vicious free kick from twenty yards that Smith could only parry. Arjun Purewal pounced on the loose ball and grabbed his first goal for the club in the process with a cool finish from eight yards. Quite the day for the Purewal family given that Arjun’s brother Amar was also on the scoresheet for Darlington 1883 in their FA Trophy win at Ossett Albion.
From that moment on it was all Spartans and an equaliser seemed to be a matter of when not if. Only desperate but brave blocks from Dabbers defenders Earl Davis and Danny Caldecott denied Spartans with Mullen and Maguire going close. They couldn’t deny the home side any longer and in the sixty sixth minute Maguire got the goal his hard work deserved. An intelligent pass from Robbie Dale found the striker twenty yards from goal. Maguire took one touch before curling a wonderful effort goalwards that clipped the inside of the left post and nestled in the net to get Spartans on level terms and crank up the decibels inside Croft Park.
With Spartans seemingly camped inside the visitors half chances were surprisingly few and far between. With ten minutes on the clock Mullen dragged a shot just past the near post and more solid defending from the Dabbers frustrated Spartans. The visitors could have even snatched a win with two minutes on the clock but substitute Clayton fired wide from twelve yards.
The final chance of the game came in the fourth and final minute of injury team and fell to Ash Davis. He almost marked the first game of his second spell at Croft Park with a winner but couldn’t make sufficient contact to a cute flicked pass from Maguire and Smith saved easily. That save meant the sides shared the points in an entertaining and fast paced game at Croft Park.
For Wade and Spartans there will be a mixture of frustration and pride. Two goals were given away in the first period that could have easily been prevented but to their credit the drew upon their seemingly vast reserves of energy and bravery to get back in the game and almost snatched a win that they would have probably just about deserved. They do however remain far ahead of schedule in terms of their development as a squad and in the cold light of day earning a point against an established Evo-Stik Northern Premier League side in Nantwich Town should instil some belief that they can go from strength to strength throughout the season.
Spartans Man of the Match: Arjun Purewal
Blyth Spartans: Misiweicz, Airey, Purewal, Buddle, Lancaster(Holmes 82), Mullen, Horner, Wade(Davis 45), Wearmouth(Watson 70), Dale, Maguire Subs not used: Parker, Kendrick Scorers: Purewal 55, Maguire 66
Nantwich TownSmith, Frost, Caldecott, Devenney, Davis(O’Neil 72), Wilson, Carden, Davidson, Burns(Amadi 88), Bailey(Clayton 72), Harrop Subs not used White, Courtney Goalscorers Devenney 7, Burns 18 pen
Referee: Mr Liddle