Droylsden 0-0 Blyth Spartans

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ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant

Droylsden 0-0 Blyth Spartans
Tuesday 10th September
Butchers Arms
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Att: 121

A hard earned point at Droylsden ensured Spartans stretched their unbeaten away start to the season as both sides toiled to create anything meaningful. However Spartans will come away from the Butchers Arms knowing that they go into Saturday’s FA Cup First Qualifying Round game with AFC Fylde on the back of a run that now reads only one defeat in seven.

It was Tom Wade’s side that created the first chance of the game in only the second minute. A one-two between Craig Hubbard and Dan Maguire on the edge of the Bloods area saw the latter unleash a rising shot that was tipped over by keeper Yannick Nlate. The home side nearly took the lead on eight minutes as a long ball caused confusion in the Spartans defence and striker Dylan Maloney rounded Conor Grant but was forced wide by the keeper. Maloney looped a cross shot goalwards but Spartans skipper Joe Kendrick cleared the danger.

Both sides were struggling to create genuine chances and only long range efforts forced either keeper into any meaningful saves. Arron Wearmouth struck a low left foot effort from twenty yards that Nlate did well to keep hold of and Grant gathered a Jimmy Holden strike from the edge of the box. A rather uneventful first half ended with Phil Airey finding Craig Hubbard twenty five yards from goal. He advanced towards the box unchallenged before unleashing a low effort the Nlate parried away to danger and the deadlock remained unbroken at the interval.

A flurry of chances in the first ten minutes of the second half was as good as it got and it was Bloods winger Domaine Rouse who was the first to test either keeper. His sixteen yard volley was acrobatically parried away from goal by Grant, who had a reasonably comfortable night in between the sticks. Spartans hit straight back soon after as Robbie Dale broke away into the left side of the area and pulled back to Wearmouth. The former Bishop Auckland winger struck a low right foot effort that was blocked and Maguire just failed to get a meaningful touch before the home side cleared.

Dylan Malone was the next to try his luck from distance but could only fire past the far post from the edge of the Spartans area as the inevitability of a stalemate seemed to increase with each passing chance. Just after the hour mark Spartans had a great chance as an incisive through ball from Dale released Hubbard but the midfielder was blocked by the feet of Nlate as the keeper advanced.

Spartans looked the most likely to snatch a winner and with twenty minutes left they struck the woodwork. A Wearmouth cross was parried to the edge of the box by Nlate under pressure from Robbie Dale. The loose ball fell to Matthew Wade who volleyed at goal and he was denied a first Spartans goal by a remarkable save by the Bloods number one as he tipped on to the tip of bar.

A low key end to the game saw both sides fail to create a meaningful chance but there was a flash point as full time approached. A ball in behind the Spartans back four released Bloods substitute Rob Kinsella. Conor Grant was alert to the danger and collected the loose ball only for Kinsella to launch himself off the ground in Grant who fortunately avoided serious injury. Referee Ian Johnston surprisingly decided to hand a yellow card to the striker as many expected a red to be shown. The whistle blew soon after and Spartans ventured back to Northumberland content with a point.

Attention now turns to the FA Cup game at Croft Park with AFC Fylde this coming Saturday in what is sure to be the first acid test of just how far Spartans have come this season.

Spartans Man of the Match: Joe Kendrick

Droylsden Nlate, Hampson, Edmondson, Langford, Grant, Fermino(McLoughlin 76), Holden, McCarthy(Kinsella 45), Malone, Ahmed, Rouse Subs not used Killeen, Hibbert, Clarkson Goalscorers N/A

Blyth Spartans: Grant, Airey, Buddle, Kendrick, Watson, Hooks, Hubbard, Wade(Cummings 87), Wearmouth(Holmes 88), Dale, Maguire Subs not used: Nolan, Parker Scorers: N/A

Referee: Ian Johnston