By Glen Maxwell
In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Evo-Stik Premier League
Saturday October 15 2016
Hednesford Town 1-2 Blyth Spartans
Blyth Spartans battled to a deserved 2-1 win over third-placed Hednesford Town but nicked the winner in fortunate circumstances – after Luke Armstrong diverted the ball in following Calum Flanigan’s attempted tackle.
Sean Reid had given Blyth a second half lead with an outstanding long-range effort, before Daniel Maguire made a much-awaited return from injury off the bench. Spartans’ joy was cut short moments later though – as Hednesford substitute Gurjit Singh’s strike deflected in to level the scores.
However, with the game entering the final ten minutes, Flanagan found his luck wanting – as he watched the ball bounce in off Armstrong when he attempted to win possession back for his side, to give Blyth another important Evo-Stik Premier League win.
Alex Nicholson and Stephen Turnbull were the two changes from Tuesday night’s battling draw at Matlock – as they replaced Andrew Cartwright and Jarrett Rivers respectively. Matty Pattison was moved out wide, with Turnbull being deployed alongside Matthew Wade in central midfield.
The home side hit their stride straight from the start and created the first chance of the game within the opening two minutes.
Ashley Sammons’ weak shot from the right ran straight into the path of Tristian Dunkley, who had his back to goal. The striker tried to turn and shoot, but his effort was well off target.
Blyth responded with an intricate attacking move, which nearly resulted in them breaking the deadlock with just six minutes gone – as Michael Liddle forced the game’s first corner. Turnbull picked out Nathan Buddle perfectly from the set-piece, but the 23-year-old’s powerful header just cleared the crossbar.
Pattison had scored a 25-yard wonder strike in the 3-0 win over Mickleover Sports and he nearly did again for the second Saturday in a row on ten minutes, when he picked the ball up from a throw-in. He cut inside and fired a rocket at the Hednesford goal, but Dan Crane was able to tip it over with a fine save.
Blyth were starting to make their mark on the contest, but were close to falling behind through some fortunate Hednesford play in the 17th minute.
A hopeful clearance from the defence bounced over the top of Buddle and fell into the path of Dunkley. His shot took a deflection that wrong-footed Adam McHugh, but the ball bounced just wide of the upright.
The two sides began to trade blows and both went close to creating an opening just prior to the 25th minute.
Danny Glover’s 25-yard free-kick was fired straight into the Blyth wall, but Hednesford played it around in the area and the ball ended up with Dunkley at the back post. However, with the goal at his mercy, the striker could fire horribly wide once again.
A searing run down the right from Alex Nicholson was thwarted by Cohen Bramall’s back pass, but he was unable to connect with it properly and picked out Luke Armstrong in the box instead. The young forward attempted a shot under pressure from Calum Flanagan, but he couldn’t keep his strike on target.
Another run from Nicholson presented the visitors with another opening – as he carried on after passing the ball of to Armstrong. Armstrong looked to return the ball to the right-back in the box, but he played a low ball just behind Nicholson and the chance was snuffed out.
With 10 minutes of the first half to go, Spartans could have been forgiven for thinking they were going to take the lead – after Armstrong looked to have profited from some calamitous keeping from Crane. He got just too much on his touch across goal when faced with an open goal and, by the time he had recovered to take a shot, Crane was able to dive at his feet.
Despite the majority of the chances beginning to fall at Blyth’s feet, the hosts were happy to remind Spartans that they were still a threat going forward – as George Carline went on a run down the left. Opting to shoot instead of crossing to a teammate, McHugh had to show safe hands to deny him and the lurking Dunkley of a potential rebound tap-in.
Five minutes before the break, Pattison was fouled 25 yards out from goal. The former South African international stepped up to take it himself, but his strike just eluded the top corner and hit the side netting instead.
Both sides had obviously been invigorated by the break, with chances at both ends with two minutes of the restart.
Liddle was played in following a one-two with Dale on the left, but unselfishly cut the ball back. His pass picked out Sean Reid, but a block took his shot away from goal.
While Blyth’s left-back opted not to shoot from the left, Hednesford’s Bramall couldn’t say the same. While his effort went across McHugh, it couldn’t find the inside of the far post.
A Hednesford free-kick then nearly gave them the lead on 52 minutes, when Glover floated a lovely ball into the back post from the right. James Mutton jumped up to meet it with a bullet header, but he connected a bit too well and the ball cleared the bar.
With 56 minutes gone, the Blyth bench were on their feet shouting for a penalty.
A one-two between Nicholson and Pattison saw the former bearing down on goal, before being brought down in the area. Despite the loud shouts from the dugout, referee N Pratt chose to ignore them and signalled for play to continue.
Less than 60 seconds later, the Spartans’ management team would have their heads in their hands once more – after a fantastic save denied Blyth a goal.
Reid picked the ball up deep and looked to have placed one beautifully into the bottom left corner of the Hednesford goal. However, Crane got down well to palm the ball behind with a great stop.
The visitors went close once more from the resulting corner – after Buddle headed the ball back across goal at the back post. A half-clearance fell to a waiting Dale on the penalty spot, but his fierce strike was deflected wide.
Hednesford made an attacking change on 67 minutes – as they replaced Dunkley with Jamie Matthews – but the substitute had been on the pitch a mere few seconds before Blyth took a deserved lead.
Reid battled with the ball through the home side’s ranks, before unleashing another rocket destined for the bottom left corner. While it took a fantastic stop to deny Reid earlier in the second half, Crane had no answer for this one – as he could only watch as it flew past his outstretched fingertips.
If that goal was enjoyed by the vocal travelling Spartans army, then the return of top scorer Daniel Maguire moments later would have been an even more welcome sight for those in attendance – as he took to the field in place of Reid, for his first appearance since suffering a calf injury last month.
Coincidentally, an attacking change was soon followed by a goal for the opposition yet again – as Hednesford drew level with 13 minutes to go. Singh was afforded too much time and space at the edge of the area – after receiving a pass from the right – and his strike was able to beat McHugh, thanks to a hefty deflection off a Blyth body.
Spartans might have been cursing their luck at that deflection, but the visitors soon received a massive slice of luck themselves – as Armstrong scored the winner without knowing very much about it.
The striker appeared to have been played in following some good work from strike partner Maguire, but got the ball caught up in his feet with Crane advancing. However, Flanagan’s attempt to intervene saw the ball bobble off Armstrong’s leg and the Hednesford defence were helpless to stop it rolling over the line.
Having dug his side out of danger already, Singh opted to try again from the edge of the area. While the substitute might have had the better of McHugh once, the Spartans’ stopper produced another magnificent save to palm the ball to safety this time.
Blyth had another shout for a penalty ruled out in the last minute, but it had no bearing on the result – as Spartans were able to hold out comfortably for a valuable three points.
Alun Armstrong won’t have long to celebrate his first away win as manager, however – as Blyth play host to Ilkeston Town on Tuesday night.
Hednesford Town: Crane, Wright, Bramall, Maye, Mutton, Flanagan, Sammons (Singh 69), Thorley, Glover (Logan 74), Dunkley (Matthews 67), Carline.
Subs not used: Ransome, Williams.
Blyth Spartans: McHugh, Nicholson (Cartwright 82), Liddle, Wade, Buddle, Hutchinson, Pattison (Richardson 86), Turnbull, Armstrong, Reid (Maguire 73), Dale.
Subs not used: Rivers, Caines.
Referee: N Pratt
Attendance: 465
Spartans Man of the Match: Sean Reid