Report by Phil Castiaux
In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Buxton 0 – 4 Blyth Spartans
Evo-Stik Northern Premier league
Silverlands, Buxton
Saturday 24th October, 2015
Attendance: 278
It’s a story which could written up and be staged in Buxton’s very own Opera House. A tale of local events.
The story of how a young man was going through difficult times on the football pitch. His form wasn’t the best and he was finding goals hard to come by. He got some new football boots. Possibly magic boots even. Would they change his fortunes in what was to be his 150th appearance for his team?
But they nearly didn’t have the opportunity to change the course of events. He left them on the team coach. At the last minute he realised and dashed back to the bus in a race against time before kick off to get the boots which had the power to change history.
Incredibly he just made it in time and the boots indeed appeared to have magical powers. The young man went in to be man of the match in the game and score a hat trick too! What a tale.
Blyth started the brighter of the two sides when on eight minutes Aaron Wearmouth was fouled 20yards from goal but Robbie Dale’s free kick was driven in to the defensive wall and cleared. Within minutes the dangerous Wearmouth was once again fouled on the edge of the penalty box but again the free kick came to nothing.
The visitors took the lead after 14 minutes when Andrew Cartwright drove in to the opposition half. Fine interplay between Matty Wade and Jordan Watson resulted in Dan Maguire finding the ball at his feet centrally placed 16 yards out and his drive was deflected over Buxton’s Barnes and in to the top corner of the net.
Maguire came close to extending Blyth’s lead after 24 minutes when his shot was palmed away by keeper Barnes. Little was seen of Buxton as Blyth dominated play.
They went two goals up on 31 minutes when Dale robbed Ricky Ravenhill in the middle of the pitch, advanced forward and slid a precise ball through to Maguire who took his time before coolly slotting past Barnes and into the far corner of the goal, despite the close attentions of Joel Bembo-Leta.
The final five minutes of the half saw Buxton have their best spell in the game so far albeit without them ever look like breaking down Blyth’s organised defence.
Within minutes of the restart Cartwright sent a delicious 30 yard ball over the top of the Buxton back four which found Michael Richardson in space but his shot was blocked and the danger cleared.
The hosts then seized the initiative from the Spartans, although only briefly. Alistair Taylor turned six yards out and shot across the face of goal but Cartwright was on hand to clear. Within seconds Taylor shot once more and on this occasion Fabian Otte in the Blyth goal rose to parry his effort away and to safety.
Blyth responded by upping their game and Richardson was denied again as Barnes saved. However the visitor’s pressure told on 57 minutes when neat play between Maguire and Dale set up Damen Mullen 20 yards from goal and he calmly stroked the ball, with an air of nonchalance, in to the top corner of Barnes’ net.
Only three minutes later Maguire concluded his hat trick when he caught Barnes napping with a crisp 25 yard drive. Maguire came close again, as did Mullen, before Buxton’s Green and Barraclough sent long range efforts over the Blyth bar.
Maguire could have added to his tally in the final minute but sliced his effort wide. Nevertheless this was an emphatic victory for a Blyth squad which carries itself with the assurance of one which seems to acknowledge its own quality and yet is still aware of even better things to come.
TEAMS
Buxton: 1. Phil Barnes, 2. Tom Buckley, 3. Jamie Green, 4. Ricky Ravenhill (Fabrice Bembo-Leta 83), 5. Joel Bembo-Leta, 6. Greg Young, 7. Alistair Taylor, 8. Warren Burrell, 9. Alex Wiles (Ash Burbeary 83), 10. Bradley Barraclough (D’Jeny Bembo-Leta 55), 11. Niall Doran
Buxton star man: Greg Young.
Blyth Spartans: 1. Fabian Otte, 2. Andrew Cartwright, 3. Jordan Watson, 4. Dillon Morse (Ryan Hutchinson 70) 5. Danny Parker, 6. Damen Mullen, 7 Aaron Wearmouth (Alex Nicholson 62), 8. Michael Richardson (Paul Robinson 76), 9. Daniel Maguire, 10. Matty Wade, 11. Robert Dale.
Subs: 12. Ashley Davis, 14. Sean Reid.
Blyth star man: Daniel Maguire
Referee: Mark Howes, Assistants: Simon Lane. Matthew Hopton