In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Belper Town 3-4 Blyth Spartans
Saturday 4th October
Attendance: 245
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Spartans scored four times in an away game for the second time in a week but were made to sweat by a determined Belper Town side. With a three goal lead in the bag mainly thanks to a sublime Robbie Dale hat-trick, two late goals by Jon Froggatt and Steve Warne meant there was a nervy end to the game for Tom Wade’s men.
It was the hosts who started the game on the front foot as they swarmed all over Spartans and duly took the lead on six minutes. Winger Rob Stevenson broke into the left hand side of the area but was impeded by Ryan Hutchinson. Referee Mark Griffiths awarded a penalty and Ian Ross sent Peter Jeffries the wrong way from the spot and gave the Nailers the lead their promising start had deserved.
Spartans took their time to get going but when they did it was Robbie Dale who was the dangerman. On sixteen minutes he danced past three Town defenders but he was closed down by James Martin sufficiently enough to allow the keeper to block Dale’s low drive.
The equaliser came on twenty five minutes and was scored by Dan Maguire but it was thanks to the magic of Dale. The winger again broke down the right and was given time to pull back to the penalty spot. That found Maguire who controlled the ball before smashing into the roof of the net.
Within minutes the hosts could have back in front but Matt Varley could only head against the top of the bar as he met Ian Ross’s vicious free kick from the left. Ross was instrumental again moments later as the Spartans goal lived a charmed life. The midfielder’s cross from the left took a deflection before clipping Jeffries’ far post.
However, perhaps buoyed by their double let off Spartans took control and Dale gave them the lead ten minutes before the break. After an almighty scramble in the area. Maguire saw a shot blocked by Martin and the striker saw the follow up cleared off the line. The loose ball fell to Dale who just forced the ball over the line
A minute later Spartans extended their lead and again it was Dale who was the tormentor in chief as he was fouled in the area by Nailers full back Aaron Pride. Dale took the spot kick and blasted it low and hard into Martin’s right hand corner. That was a two goal lead the Spartans took into the interval.
The second half was a slow burner and it took ten minutes to get going as Dale almost sealed a hat-trick. The hosts allowed Jeffries booming goal kick to fall to Dale on the edge of the area but he sent his shot just past the far post.
The hat-trick did arrive with just over twenty minutes left as Dale was fed by Maguire and curled a delightful shot into the far corner via the post from just inside the box. That goal meant Dale went into fourth place in the club’s all time goalscorers list behind Brian Slane, Steve Pyle and George Pyke.
Within a minute the hosts were right back in it as Ross released Froggatt in on goal and the striker made no mistake rolling confidently past the advancing Jeffries.
Chances came and went for Spartans to kill off the game with Maguire being denied twice within minutes, the second chance probably the best as he was played in on goal but could only fire over from the angle.
With a lengthy stoppage for a serious looking injury to Nailers winger Stevenson there was seven minutes of injury time signalled. In the fifth added minute the hosts got back within a goal of Spartans thanks to an excellent volley from captain Steve Warne as he connected well with a Hutchinson clearance and saw his dipping volley drop just inside Jeffries right hand post.
However Spartans held on without any further chances and took all three points back to Northumberland and gave themselves a major boost as they travel back to Derbyshire next Saturday for the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie with Mickleover Sports.
Teams
Belper Town Martin, Pride, Nadat(Holden 60), Ross, Varley, Burgin, Cole, Warne, Froggatt, Cotton, Stevenson (Marrison 65) Subs: Garnett, Walker, Low
Blyth Spartans: Jeffries, Dixon, Watson(Mullen 86), Hutchinson, Buddle, Turnbull, Rivers(Wearmouth 77), Hawkins, Maguire, Wade, Dale (Quinn 90)Subs: Nicholson, Cummings
Referee: Mark Griffiths