By Liam O’Brien
In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Texo Challenge Trophy
Sunday, July 28th 2019
Blyth Spartans 3-2 Aberdeen XI
Blyth Spartans lifted the Texo Challenge Trophy following a 3-2 win over Aberdeen XI.
Adam Wrightson, the star of the show, opened the scoring in the 48th minute when he got on the end of a diagonal ball from Jake Orrell and hammered it home at the near post.
Aberdeen equalised in the 72nd minute when Michael Ruth chipped the ball over the charging Mark Foden.
Spartans regained the lead in fortuitous fashion when Jake Orrell’s shot was saved by the Dons keeper Danny Rogers but it bounced off Luc Bollan and into his own net.
Blyth then clinched the tie when Wrightson had a strike at goal that was saved by the keeper but Fenwick got the follow-up and put it in the roof of the net.
Aberdeen pulled a goal back in virtually the last kick of the game just when substitute Max Barry got on the end of a cross and leathered it into the top corner.
Spartans started the match strongly with Wrightson causing problems for the Aberdeen defence.
In the first minute, he weaved his way through the Dons defence, cutting onto his right foot and had a shot that was saved by the keeper.
Aberdeen got their first chance in the 10th minute when Calvin Ramsey collected the ball on the right-wing before an effort inches away from the top corner.
Sweet had a great chance in the 30th minute when he found himself through on goal. He managed to evade a sliding tackle then get one on one with the keeper, only for the keeper to pull off a great save with his legs.
Spartans had multiple chances in the last 10 minutes of the first half with Wrightson creating the chances.
Wrightson delivered a cross in for Orrell whose close-range shot was saved by the keeper.
A minute later, Wrightson whipped a cross in for Pearson whose scuffed shot was on the line by the keeper.
Aberdeen got a chance five minutes before half time when Mark Foden gave the ball away to Bruce Anderson.
Anderson then passed it to Ruth in the box but Foden managed to redeem himself with a great save with his legs.
Blyth opened the scoring early in the second half when Orrell sent Wrightson in on goal, who charged in the box to smash the ball beyond Rogers.
Aberdeen got a chance to equalise when a corner found the head of Lloyd Robertson but his header went over the bar.
Wrightson continued to put pressure on the Aberdeen defence with a mazy run towards goal and found himself in a similar position to his goal but this time, his shot was saved by the keeper.
In the 65th minute, Orrell sent a teasing ball across the face of goal that was narrowly missed by Sweet who couldn’t get there in time.
Aberdeen got their equaliser when Ruth was played through one on one with Foden then chipped the keeper to make it 1-1.
Aberdeen thought they’d taken the lead when Ruth got the end of a cross from Seb Ross but the goal was ruled out due to Ruth being offside.
In the 81st minute, Spartans took the lead as Fenwick’s back-heeled pass left Sweet one on one with the keeper. His shot was saved by the keeper but it bounced off Aberdeen’s Bollan and into his own net.
Blyth then doubled their advantage when Wrightson’s shot from outside the box was saved by the keeper but the follow up was smashed into the roof of the net by Fenwick.
Aberdeen managed to pull a goal back when Barry got on the end of a cross and smashed it into the top corner of the net.
However, it was too late and Spartans lifted the Texo Challenge Trophy.
Blyth Spartans: Foden, Evans, Callaghan, Robson, Devitt, Hutchinson, Wrightson, Mullen, Sweet, Orrell, Pearson Subs: Fenwick, Dale, Trialist, Mouanda, Butler, Spooner, Horner, Trialist
Goals – Wrightson (48) Bollan (OG 81) Fenwick (86)
Aberdeen XI: Rogers, Ramsey, Drinnan, Virtanen, Bollan, Robertson, Lindon, Ross, Anderson, Campbell, Ruth. Subs: Turner, Shanks, Ngwenya, Barron, Duncan, Barry, Jackson
Goals – Ruth (72) Barry (90)
Referee – David Pill
Man of the Match – Adam Wrightson