Blyth Spartans v Warrington Rylands | Saturday, 15 March 2025 - 15:00 | League

Spartans were officially relegated after a 3-1 defeat to visitors Warrington Rylands.

Warrington Rylands took the lead in the 18th minute through Alex Kiwomya.

Spartans got an equaliser in the 53rd minute when Cyril Giraud was brought down and Blyth were awarded a penalty that Nicky Deverdics converted.

The visitors then took the lead again through Matthew Regan in the 76th minute before Ben Hardcastle made it 3-1 in the 87th minute.

Spartans made two changes to the lineup that lost to Gainsborough Trinity on Tuesday. Patrick McClafferty and Lucas Reed replaced Shay Richardson and Matthew Ridley. New signings Jesse Gomez and Bailey Prudhoe were on the bench.

Both teams struggled to get going in the opening 15 minutes of the game. Spartans looked to move forward down the pitch, but an unfortunate handball call went the way of Rylands. Rylands were unable to take advantage of the free-kick and were flagged offside from their chance.

In the 18th minute, Alex Kiwomya gave Rylands the lead when he took advantage of some confusion at a corner to score at the back post.

5 minutes later, Rylands were put under pressure as Spartans brought the ball down the left hand side. Rylands were pressured into heading the ball out for a Spartans corner which was collected easily by Luke Pilling in goal.

Blyth nearly had a chance to equalise in the 30th minute when Cyril Giraud played Leon Burke in but he hesitated to shoot and Rylands managed to clear the danger.

In the 37th minute, Rylands got the chance to go 2-0 up, but Jake Daniels got the ball stuck under his feet and failed to convert.

Half time: Blyth Spartans 0-1 Warrington Rylands

At the start of the second half, Blyth pushed on in search of an equaliser and got their chance in the 50th minute when Cyril Giraud was brought down inside the box.

Nicky Deverdics stepped up to take it and smashed it into the back of the net to bring it level.

In the 58th minute, Giraud managed twist and turn his way to the edge of the box and forced Ryland to put the ball out for a corner. The corner went in but the shot from Spartans went narrowly past Pilling's post.

The visitors pushed to take the lead again in the 60th minute but a beautiful save by Matthew Bancroft after Jake Burton was played in one on one denied them the lead.

Rylands came close to an own goal in the 67th minute when their defender got on the other side of Deverdics to poke it out for a corner, but nearly looped the ball into his own goal.

The visitors regain the lead in the 76th minute when Regan converted from a corner that may have deflected off a Spartans head.

In the 87th minute, an error at the back gave Hardcastle an easy opportunity to seal the game for Ryland and make it 3-1.

The result combined with results in other games meant that Blyth Spartans were officially relegated.

Full time: Blyth Spartans 1-3 Warrington Rylands

Blyth Spartans - Bancroft, Oliver, Holvey, Reed (Prudhoe, 45), McClafferty, Almond, Giraud, Burke (Simpson, 66), Hooper, Aitken, Deverdics ©

Subs not used - Dixon, Gomez, Camarda

Goals - Deverdics (53)

Yellow cards - Deverdics (71)

Warrington Rylands - Pilling, Smith, Regal, Hopper, Holding (Hough, 66), Neild (c), Gribben (Furman, 45), Hardcastle, Kiwomya (Lonsdale, 71), Burton (Martin, 90+1), Daniels (Smith, 89)

Goals - Kiwomya (19), Regan (76), Hardcastle (87)

Yellow cards - Neild (53) Pilling (61)

Referee - Kieran Downey