What a difference seven days can make at Blyth Spartans. Last weekend they came away from Skelmersdale United frustrated and annoyed at losing a seven goal thriller to a late goal. Fast forward to today and the emotions are quite the opposite. A demolition of the same opposition has seen Spartans through to the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy but midfielder Craig Hubbard has demanded that his side don’t get carried away with their run of good form.
“I have said it before we have to keep our feet firmly on the floor. Particularly heading into autumn and winter we can’t just go into games expecting to win them and we have to keep working hard. I think we can be right up there and there is nobody we fear but we have to keep our heads and not get carried away”
It’s been quite a week for Hubbard in particular. Going into last weekend he was still to get off the mark this season but in the space of a week has plundered seven goals including two hat-tricks against Skelmersdale United. That included a “perfect hat-trick” of goals with his left foot, right foot and the header that sealed his treble in the Trophy win and Hubbard admitted that he had “never had a week like it”.
“I don’t think I have ever had a week like it, even from when I was a kid I have never experienced anything like it. I didn’t even realise it was a perfect hat-trick until after the game when Conor Grant told me. Looking back the last one just fell nicely with the header”
A much improved performance from Spartans avenged the defeat in Lancashire last weekend and Hubbard felt that there were numerous reasons why they got the win at Croft Park today. A wide open defensive display at Skelmersdale last weekend saw Spartans concede four goals but Hubbard was pleased to see his side frustrate the current Evo-Stik Northern Premier League leaders.
“I think we did certain things a lot better today. We looked much more solid as a team and the defence benefitted from that. We frustrated them by pressuring them on the ball and part of that was the two red cards. We were hard to break down and they ran out of ideas and we just went on to win from there”