Seeing is believing, or so says Spartans manager Tom Wade after his side’s 6-0 FA Trophy hammering of Skelmersdale United at Croft Park. Those who weren’t fortunate to be at the game may see that the visitors were reduced to ten men in the first half, then contrived to further reduce their numbers to nine in the game’s closing stages. However Wade felt that Spartans were full value for their win and it was reward for their prowess in front of goal and he challenged his young side to carry on progressing after a notable result against the current Evo-Stik Northern Premier League leaders.
“It might not look as good as it should because people will see they’ve gone to ten men and then nine men but we thoroughly deserved the win no matter what, people here will know that. All of our goals were excellent today and we looked lethal at times. We have a free week and players coming back from injury and I honestly think we can go on from here but it will still take time”
One key factor of Spartans impressive start to the season has been their ability to be flexible when it comes to the make up of their side. During various points of today’s win over Skem Wade and Assistant Manager Colin Myers tinkered with the formation starting with Ash Davis as a lone front man but changing to a pair of strikers with Dan Maguire partnering the former Whitley Bay man once the visitors were reduced the ten. As the game wore on the formation was changed back to it’s original state as Spartans made the most of the ever increasing space around the Croft Park pitch.
“It’s a bit flat in the first half isn’t it but we were still the better side. When we got the first goal we were only ever going to win the game but I didn’t think it would be the way it was. We’ve worked really hard against eleven men and made them work even harder after the two red cards. We changed it around in terms of the formation to suit the circumstances and the big change came when we moved Maguire out to the right again and stretched the pitch. That made it even harder and created more for ourselves”
One player who will quite rightly take the plaudits will be midfielder Craig Hubbard. Seven goals in a week has seen the former West Auckland man rocket to the top of the Spartans scoring charts and that tally includes two hat-tricks against Skem. Wade hailed Hubbard’s feat as a “remarkable achievement” and revealed his delight at his performances of late.
“It’s been some week for Hubs hasn’t it? Seven goals in a week, in three games is a remarkable achievement. He scored three excellent goals down there last week but today he surpassed that with three very different finished. He is doing what is asked of him and more than that besides”