Frickley Athletic 0-1 Blyth Spartans

In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant

Frickley Athletic 0-1 Blyth Spartans
Tuesday 3rd September
Westfield Lane
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Att: 224

They say timing is all important in football and Spartans winger Robbie Dale picked the perfect time to celebrate his three hundred and fiftieth appearance for the club with a late winner at Frickley Athletic. Dale’s wonderful dribble and finish capped off a complete team performance as Tom Wade’s side made amends for Saturday’s loss at home to Matlock Town.

Spartans made only one change from Saturday with Craig Hubbard starting in midfield in place of Neal Hooks. Matthew Wade was cleared to play after sustaining a nasty eye injury against The Gladiators.

It was Wade who had the first chance of the game in the fifth minute as he won the ball from Luke Jeffs and strode towards the hosts box. He lashed a low effort only to see Jake Picton deflect it wide for a corner. The home side’s first chance came soon after as a curling cross from the right by Jimmy Ghaicham saw Luke Hinsley loop a header over Conor Grant but his effort also sailed over the cross bar.

Town keeper Luke Woodhead produced an outstanding save on the quarter of an hour mark. Dale and Maguire linked up well just inside the box before the latter saw his powerful rising shot parried over the bar by the hosts number one. Maguire was at it again fifteen minutes before the break as he collected a superb cross field pass from the impressive Matthew Wade and saw his low shot crash off the far post and away to safety.

The final chance of the half fell to the home side as left back Steve Gardner beat the offside trap but could only chip over the bar under pressure from the recovering Arjun Purewal. A frantic first half ended with the deadlock unbroken.

The second half burst into life ten minutes in as Dale collected a pass from Maguire on the left wing and cut in on his favoured right foot but curled just past the angle of bar and post. It was all Spartans as they played some wonderful quick pass and move football and midfielder Damen Mullen had three quickfire chances within five minutes. The first forced Woodhead into a smart stop at his near post but within a minute Mullen was at it again, only to see a well hit shot narrowly go past the post.

The last of the chances came as he latched on to an audacious flick from Arron Wearmouth and held off the challenge of Picton only to see Woodhead smother his chance at the near post. Spartans had to capitalise on their domination but also guard against complacency. Something that was made all too clear as Dan Parker and Conor Grant got in a mix up that nearly saw Gavin Allott tap into an empty net with Spartans grateful to Arjun Purewal for his alertness as he cleared the loose ball.

With fifteen minutes left Spartans took control again and an incisive through ball from Kendrick released Maguire into the left hand side of the Town area. His left foot effort just evaded the far post as the forward’s frustrations in front of goal carried on. That’s not to say that the home side didn’t have chances as the clock ticked down and could have snatched the lead on eighty minutes. A left foot cross from substitute Jason Yates found the head of Picton ten yards out but he could only send his effort past the post.

From then on it was all about Spartans and in particular Robbie Dale as the winger scored what he termed “one of my top three goals for the club” after the game. Collecting a pass on the right wing he danced past four defenders leaving them on the floor before coolly rolling the ball past a helpless Woodhead to mark his landmark appearance in the grand manner.

Whilst Dale will quite rightly take the plaudits for his wonder goal it must be said that this was an outstanding team effort at a place Spartans fell to a depressingly poor defeat last season. As a unit they were solid and the team spirit was on display with every player in the squad playing their part. Saturday sees Non-League Day at Croft Park as Grantham Town make the journey to Northumberland.

Spartans Man of the Match: Robbie Dale

Frickley Athletic Woodhead, Wilcox, Gardner, Picton, Gray, Jeffs, Ghaicham(Fearon 88), Bloor, Hinsley, Allott, Fox(Yates 66) Subs not used Stratford, Villerman, Hood Goalscorers N/A

Blyth Spartans: Grant, Buddle, Parker, Purewal, Kendrick, Mullen, Hubbard(Hooks 76), Wade, Wearmouth(Watson 88), Dale(Airey 90), Maguire Subs not used: Nolan, Cummings Scorers: Dale 87

Referee: Ian Quinn