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Blyth Spartans 2-1 Curzon Ashton
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Croft Park
Saturday 24th January 2015
Attendance: 503
Goals from Dan Maguire and Michael Richardson capped off a superb fightback from Blyth Spartans as they overturned a half time deficit to take three vital points against Curzon Ashton. A poor first half gave way to a much improved second period as Tom Wade’s side put the Lancashire outfit under serious pressure and were just about deserving of their win, although for forty five minutes it looked as if it was going to be a disappointing day for the Green Army.
Twenty minutes of play best described as turgid left supporters of both clubs without anything to warm them up on a bitterly cold Northumberland day. That was until the twentieth minute when the visitors came within a whisker of taking the lead. Matthew Warburton stepped inside the challenge of Joel Dixon on the left hand side of the Spartans area and unleash a fifteen yard thunderbolt that crashed off the underside of Peter Jeffries’ crossbar before being cleared to safety by Ryan Hutchinson.
The visitors were on top and dominating possession and Spartans were grateful for the alertness of Jeffries as he pounced on a Ryan Brooke header at the far post. The Curzon winger had tried to head back from the byline to find Niall Cummings inside the six yard box but Jeffries managed to reach the ball first to deny the visitors what would have been a deserved lead.
Spartans finally creating a chance in the twenty seventh minute as some neat work from Dan Maguire down the left allowed the striker the chance to roll the ball back to the penalty spot. The ball found its way to Steven Turnbull but the midfielder was denied his first Spartans goal by a brave block from Thomas Eckersley as the Curzon deflected Turnbull’s twelve yard volley away from goal.
The visitors finally took the lead in the forty first minute with a goal from Matthew Warburton. The striker was played through on goal by Sam Walker but could only roll his effort against Jeffries far post. The loose ball ran to Niall Cummings and he was afforded too much time to cross the ball into the six yard area where Warburton headed home unmarked.
Spartans almost hit back within a minute as an almighty scramble inside the Curzon area saw two brave blocks deny Maguire and Robbie Dale. Several Curzon defenders attempted to clear a ball into the area but a loose ball fell to Maguire who was blocked by a brave piece of goalkeeping by Curzon number one Cameron Mason. The loose ball fell to Dale who was twelve yards out but he was denied by another block by Eckersley.
When the half time whistle blew the visitors went into the interval fully deserving of their lead against a lacklustre Spartans side, who had looked lethargic and lacking in imagination during a poor first half.
That poor first half was somewhat forgotten within three minutes of the restart. The strength of Dan Hawkins allowed him the time and space to release Dan Maguire into the right hand side of the area. The striker didn’t need asking twice to finish as he unleashed a wicked angled drive that nestled just inside Cameron Mason’s far post to give Spartans the perfect start to the second half.
Spartans almost completed a wonderful turnaround on the hour mark when they were awarded a free kick twenty yards from goal. Michael Richardson stepped up to take it and was left ruing a full length stop from Mason as the Curzon keeper parried the former Newcastle United academy midfielder’s shot that seemed destined for the top right hand corner.
Just as they had on Spartans equaliser Hawkins and Maguire combined on sixty six minutes. Again Hawkins found a yard of space in midfield and released Maguire, this time into the left hand side of the Curzon area. The striker tried his luck with a left volley that sneaked past the far post.
Referee Paul Newhouse took centre stage in the minutes that followed with several decisions that flummoxed both sets of supporters. After a foul on Spartans keeper Jeffries by Curzon substitute Luke Horrocks a drop ball was awarded much to the chagrin of the majority inside Croft Park.
With just five minutes on the clock Spartans took the lead in somewhat comical circumstances. A long ball forward from Nathan Buddle was misjudged by Eckersley and Michael Richardson pounced to roll the ball past Mason for his first Croft Park goal in his Spartans career.
Spartans saw out the remaining time comfortably with a dogged final period and set themselves up nicely for a tough looking trip to Ilkeston on Monday evening before they welcome Barwell to Croft Park on Saturday.
Spartans: Jeffries, Dixon, Mullen (Richardson 20), Hutchinson, Buddle, Stp Turnbull (Hooks 84), Nicholson, Hawkins, Maguire, Stv Turnbull, Dale Subs not used: Wade, Parker, Watson Goals: Maguire 48, Richardson 85
Curzon Ashton: Mason, Shaw, Thornton, Hunt, Eckersley (Bett 85), Schofield, Rowney (Wright 76), Walker, Cummings (Horrocks 66), Warburton, Brooke Subs not used: Colsy, Fitzgerald Goals: Warburton 40
Referee: Paul Newhouse