In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Whitley Bay 0-3 Blyth Spartans
Saturday 20th July
Hillheads
Pre-Season Friendly
They say that pre-season is all about performances and fitness and results don’t matter but at Hillheads today Spartans managed to supply Tom Wade and Colin Myers with all three comfortably beating Whitley Bay in a dominant display. Goals from Lee Mason, Robbie Dale and Rob Nolan sealed the win but it was the all round performance and style of football played that will have given the Spartans management team the most satisfaction.
New signings Danny Parker and Arjun Purewal made their first appearances since signing on for the season at Croft Park and there was also a chance for two trialists as Wade and Myers look to build on the hectic recruitment programme they have overseen throughout pre-season. With Dan Maguire missing former North Shields striker Rob Nolan was handed a first start in pre-season playing as a lone front man with captain for the day Craig Hubbard the main support from the centre of midfield.
A rather uneventful first fifteen minutes of the game gave way to a burst of Spartans chances in quick succession. A Neal Hooks free kick was floated to the far post to find Matthew Wade. The former Motherwell midfielder headed back across goal trying to find the onrushing Nolan but the striker just failed to make connect, his time would come soon enough. With Spartans on top Hubbard was next to try his luck heading over from ten yards after getting on the end of another Hooks cross.
As chances came and went Spartans managed to remain calm and had their best chance yet when Arjun Purewal saw a close range header blocked on the line by a combination of Seahorses keeper Ball and defender Novak. That was a temporary reprieve for the home side and it was Lee Mason who finally gave Wade’s side the lead just before the half hour with a goal of the highest quality. The winger broke away from midfield and took full advantage of the home side’s failure to close him down by crashing home a twenty yard effort low into Ball’s far corner.
Mason nearly doubled his own tally and his side’s lead a minute later driving past Ian Watson but sending his shot narrowly past the far post. As the half time interval approached Spartans did extend that lead. Last season’s top scorer Robbie Dale got on the end of an inch perfect Hooks cross to finish from around eight yards out against his former club. The home side finally got into the action on the stroke of half time with Conor Grant producing an excellent double save to deny Paul Chow and former Spartans striker Ash Davis to ensure he kept a clean sheet before giving way to substitute keeper James Howarth at half time.
The second period was more of the same for Wade’s side and they could and really should have got a third goal early on as Rob Nolan drew Ball from his goal and squared to Mason. With only Anderson on the line to beat the winger sliced wide from twelve yards out. Spartans were in control and passing the ball around superbly with the midfield trio of Wade, Hooks and Hubbard dictating the pace of the game and the back four being well marshaled by new additions Purewal and Parker.
On the hour mark Spartans got a third goal and effectively sealed the win as the outstanding Dale found Nolan on the edge of the box. The striker took one touch and crashed a low effort into the bottom right hand corner of the hosts’ net which was deserved reward for a hard working display from the former North Shields striker.
Spartans substitute keeper Howarth remained rather untested until twenty minutes to go when he produced a smart stop from a twenty five yard free kick from Seahorses substitute Michael Coglen. That was really only temporary respite for the home side as Spartans quickly got on top again and it was Dale at the heart of the action again. The winger latched on to a wonderful cross field ball from Wade and dinked the ball over the advancing keeper only to see it drop narrowly wide of the far post.
The final fifteen minutes were played out with Spartans in control and playing keep ball to frustrate the home side but it was a performance that will give everyone connected with the club a great deal of pleasure and hope for the new season. Tougher tests are most certainly ahead with just under a month to go until the opening day trip to Marine but on today’s show at least there is a case for much optimism, albeit cautious optimism come day one of the season.
Whitley Bay Ball, McFarlane, Novak, Anderson, Reid, Fairley, Convery, Antony, Davis, Chow, Watson Subs Fawcett, Carmichael, Brooking, Ekata, Smith, Cogden Goalscorers
Blyth Spartans: Grant, Trialist, Trialist, Parker, Purewal, Hubbard, Mason, Hooks, Nolan, Wade, Dale Subs: Tobin, Donnelly, Trialist, Mullen, Howarth Scorers: Mason 28, Dale 42, Nolan 60