The Spartans travelled the 540 mile round trip to Cheltenham Town’s Whaddon Road (the temporary home of Gloucester City) buoyed by a recent run of form which has seen the Spartans win 4 games and draw 1 of the last five that they have played.
Spartans Manager Mick Tait was unable to call on influential midfielders Robert Dale and Michael Tait from the start, as the duo, recovering a knee injury and a virus respectively, were only considered fit enough to take up a place on the bench.
Gloucester started the game on the front foot, on 2 minutes, Smith made a strong run down the right wing and produced a dangerous looking cross, which deflected off Phil Cave and skimmed off the bar to give the hosts a corner.
Blyth’s first attack came on 6 minutes and ended with tricky winger O’Mahoney being hauled back by the shorts on the right edge of the penalty area. From the resultant free kick, Turnbull floated in a cross that was powered home from the head of central defender Chris Swailes to give the Spartans an early lead.
Blyth had a golden opportunity to extend their lead two minutes later, Nicky Deverdics produced a sublime pirouette on the edge of the Spartans penalty area, to avoid a couple of Gloucester attackers before driving a 70-yard defence splitting pass into the path of John Alexander, whose first touch was assured but he shot weakly and the Sawyer captured the shot with ease.
On 15 minutes Blyth were given a scare as a shot from a Gloucester attacker appeared to strike the hand of Cave defending at the back post. Whilst Blyth could have no complaints had the spot kick being awarded, the referee and his assistant deemed the incident ‘ball to hand’ much to the annoyance of the home bench.
Blyth did manage to put further daylight between themselves and their hosts on 24 minutes, a breathtaking counter attack saw the ball fall to O’Mahoney who twisted and turned past his marker and produce a pinpoint cross to Stephen Turnbull at the back post, who had enough time to take a touch before smashing the ball past Sawyer with a left foot drive.
On the stoke of half time, Gloucester did get the ball in the Spartans net with Smith turning sharply and volleying well from a free kick, but the assistant referee had flagged the attacker offside.
Half Time – Gloucester City 0 Blyth Spartans 2
The second half started much quieter than the first, understandably the home side enjoyed the lion share of the possession, but failed to test Mark Gillespie in the Spartans goal with anything more than routine saves.
On 56 minutes Blyth nearly captured a third, another pinpoint cross from the impressive Turnbull was met again by the head of Swailes, but the header was straight at Sawyer who parried the ball to safety.
Morford, who had caused the Spartans in two games last season (both comfortable wins for Gloucester City), produced a strong run down the left leaving Groves and Deverdics in his wake and it needed both Gillespie and Wayne Buchanan to avert the danger at the near post.
As the game moved into the final quarter of an hour, Gloucester were given a life line, as they were awarded a penalty for a push in the area, Smith stepped up and sent Gillespie the wrong way.
The Blyth rearguard managed to see out the final 15 minutes without any major incident and the visitors came the closest to scoring another goal as substitute Robert Dale robbed the Gloucester back line and played a cross field pass to Paul Brayson. The striker, currently the leading scorer and usually deadly in such situations, controlled the ball well, but his shot was blazed over the bar.
Full Time – Gloucester City 1 Blyth Spartans 2
Gloucester City: Sawyer, Green, Mustoe, Barnes, Hamblin, Webb, Smith, Rose (Bryant), Davies (Mullings), Symons, Morford
Subs (not used): Tambling, Mann, Harris
MOM: Mustoe
Blyth Spartans: Gillespie, Groves, Cave, Deverdics, Swailes, Buchanan, Hooks, Turnbull, Brayson, Alexander (Dale), O’Mahoney
Subs (not used): Morris, Tait, Ridley, Cunningham
MOM: Swailes
Attendance: 305
Ref: Robert Lovegrove MBE*
(* His MBE was awarded for 24 years service in the British Army)