Spartans’ manager Tom Wade was left frustrated after Saturday’s FA Cup 3-1 home defeat at the hands of AFC Fylde.
“I thought the score line flattered them based on the effort and good football which we showed. We had an unbelievable number of chances plus, all over the park, we were competitive in every department. When I say chances I mean proper chances not half chances. The game could have finished 6-3 to us! We tired in the final ten minutes after a high tempo game and, with us trying to push on, that allowed them to get their third goal in added time,” he said.
“Dave Challinor, the Fylde manager, rang me on Sunday morning,” Wade added. “He was very complimentary about us, specifically with regard to Matty Wade and Dan Maguire. It was a nice thing to hear.”
Blyth took the lead after five minutes when Matty Wade coolly volleyed home.
Wade senior commented: “He had a really good game, in a more advanced midfield role. He’s been injured recently and I was going to rest him but he played through the pain and was influential.”
The visitors equalised after 35 minutes with LLoyd McGoldrick firing across Conor Grant in the Blyth goal.
“Conor was another player not fully fit,” said Wade. “He had to have treatment from the physio for an hour before the game after suffering a leg injury, and subsequent spasms, at Droylsden in midweek. So I need to thank him for turning out.”
The theme continued when Blyth’s captain Joe Kendrick was unable to resume after the break due to a ligament issue.
Chances galore continued to come Blyth’s way but a breakaway saw Fylde’s Matt Blinkhorn fire past Grant after 52 minutes.
Wade thought the writing was on the wall when, after 71 minutes, a ‘goal’ for his side was disallowed.
He said: “Matty’s back post header beat the keeper but the referee indicated that there had been a push earlier. I couldn’t understand it. Nobody was near the keeper at the time!”
Wade had stated before the game that the stiff opposition Fylde would provide could well indicate just where his own side where and that he would learn things from it. So what was learned?
“We have some top quality young players who will get better,” he proffered. “They weren’t fazed by Fylde, which is a positive but we don’t have strength in depth. We need one or two quality players otherwise there will be more days like Saturday.
“It’s so frustrating because if we could take our chances we could be a top six side ourselves. If you can’t score goals you won’t go anywhere.”