VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH
Venue: Croft Park, Blyth
Date: Saturday 16th March 2019
Kick Off: 3.00pm
SCORE UPDATES / MATCH COMMENTARY
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Blyth Live
ADMISSION
Adults – £12
Concessions – £7
11-16’s – £5
Under 10’s – FREE with a paying Adult
£2 Stand Transfer Applies
By Stuart Dick
Blyth Spartans’ dismal home form since the turn of the year has given the Green Army little to write home about in 2019. Blyth’s last home win in the league came courtesy of a late Bradley Fewster strike against York City in December.
Since then Blyth have lost three and drawn two, with two of those defeats coming against sides below them in the table. Alun Armstrong will see today as a chance to rectify that form against a Nuneaton Borough side who have won just three times all season.
Spartans ran out 3-1 winners earlier in the season with a brace from Dan Maguire and a solo effort by Robert Dale and will be hoping for a similar result on Saturday afternoon. David Atkinson will have hopefully received international clearance in time for the game to bolster a defence that hasn’t kept a clean sheet in 10 matches.
The Opposition:
Bottom of the National League North, Nuneaton Borough are 14 points adrift of FC United of Manchester and Ashton United and are now in must win mode. They have secured just three wins, seven draws and lost 24 games this season in the league.
Two of those three victories, and four of the draws have come away from home, with 11 defeats. They’ve scored 17 times and conceded 37 on their travels with a haul of ten points which is the worst in the division. A couple more defeats could see Nuneaton relegated by the end of March.
The tale of the tape:
This will be the 17th time Blyth Spartans and Nuneaton Borough (also known as Nuneaton Town for a period) with Spartans having won five, drawn eight and lost three.
At Croft Park have won four drawn two and lost two and will be looking to build on their first away win against Nuneaton Borough earlier this season.
The most famous meeting of the sides was in the 1987 FA Trophy when it took 450 minutes to separate the two teams, three 2-2 draws followed by a 1-0 win for Borough.
The Manager:
Former Barwell Manager Jimmy Ginnelly left The Canaries after eight years at the Leicestershire Club, leading them to a promotion, a County Cup victory as well as their highest league position and best runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy.
The 55-year-old Nuneaton native grew up a Boro’ fan and cited that as one of the reasons for the decision to step up a League.
The Key Man:
Ryan Edmunds
7 goals in 19 games makes Edmunds a big threat from midfield this afternoon, with those numbers coming in a struggling side. Only Dior Angus has scored more goals for Borough this season with Angus now on loan from Port Vale at National League side Barrow.
Signing in November 2018 from Coleshill Town, Ryan immediately won over Boro’ fans with an amazing curler against Solihull Moors on his home debut. Edmunds can play anywhere across midfield or upfront.
Spartans Team News and Milestones:
Dan Maguire is the only remaining Spartan to appear in every National League North fixture this season.
David Atkinson could make his third club debut should he feature.
Kieran Green is two appearances away from 50 for Blyth Spartans.