By Ben Lightfoot
Blyth Spartans look to continue on from Tuesday night as they travel to the Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium to face Banbury United.
The Spartans picked up a valuable three points at Mill Farm on Tuesday night as they won 3-0 against top-of-the-league AFC Fylde.
TICKET INFORMATION
Saturday’s match is segregated, with Spartans fans allocated the Sutton End of the stadium, with seperate refreshments, bar and toilets available. However there will be no access to the clubhouse for away supporters. Tickets can be booked in advance here.
TEAM NEWS
Nathan Buddle and Lewis McNall remain out, Michael Richardson will be assessed after being forced off with a knock on Tuesday night.
OPPOSITION
Banbury sits in 18th place in the National League North on 46 points with eight league matches to play. They sit just five points ahead of Blyth.
The Puritans faced a goalless draw in their last outing against Darlington, in a game where the points were curricula for both sides at the opposite ends of the table.
WHAT WE’RE SAYING
Following our scintillating victory against Fylde, Graham Fenton said: “We needed a reaction after that horrendous first half the other day because this is the frustrating thing with this group is we know that level is there, it just doesn’t come often enough.
“So there is another example of what we can do, now we got to make sure on Saturday we don’t drop off a cliff again and we get the same levels, if not can we improve on them.
“There’s no doubt you come to a place like this with an absolutely quality football team at this level, you’re going to have to ride your luck and they created chances, a lot of chances and we got that little bit of luck today that we need, that we haven’t had most of the season.
“So we were brilliant, the two lads up to setting the standard, looking a real threat on the counter and we sat in deep, the shape was brilliant and then you look at what they bring off the bench and you kind of go that’s slightly different to what we come up against every week.
“You’ve got ex-Premier League players, Championship players playing up top, Luke Charman, whose a very very good player coming on, and so on and so on, so to get over the line in such style is magnificent.”
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
After their goalless draw against the Quakers, Andy Whing said: “I thought we were outstanding, I thought we were on the front foot, our intensity was high, I thought we were really good all night to be fair, I thought we were the better team.
“Look at our run, they’re fifth in the league, you know Gio [Giorgio Rasulo], even Joe [Iaciofano] on the bench, unfit to come on. I thought we were outstanding, we worked our socks off, you know we were just unfortunate that it just didn’t fall for us.”
LAST TIME WE MET
The sides met for the first time in history back in October 2022 as this is the first season Banbury have played in the National League North.
The game finished 1-1 as Michael Richardson opened the scoring after 51 minutes, but a penalty in the 70th minute was converted by Giorgio Rasulo to level the game.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Unfortunately there’ll be no Blyth Live, however, you can follow the game via our social media platforms.