Blyth Spartans v Worksop Town | Saturday, 12 April 2025 - 15:00 | League

Blyth Spartans' season ended in a narrow defeat in Colin Myers' first game since being appointed permanent manager.

Blyth went ahead on 13 minutes as Cyril Giraud finished off a counter-attack in style, before Worksop equalised through Ben Tomlinson in the 20th minute.

Tomlinson got his second on 35 minutes to put the visitors ahead, before Zack Simpson levelled shortly before the break.

Charlie Winfield secured the win for Worksop as he fired into the bottom corner in 83rd minute.

Colin Myers made three changes from the side that lost against Whitby Town on Easter Monday, with Ben Milburn amongst those returning to the starting lineup.

Blyth started the better, and Cyril Giraud was the first to threaten as the ball broke to him on the edge of the box following a corner and he fired into the arms Olivier Rodzus.

The Worksop keeper was then forced into action again soon after as Paddy Almond, got forward and drilled a low cross to the near post that had to be tipped wide.

Blyth then had a brilliant chance to take the lead on 10 minutes, a ball over the top found Luke Parker but, with only the keeper to beat, he pulled his effort wide of the target.

Worksop, playing with a heavily rotated side with a play-off semi-final coming up, did still pose a threat, and Milburn had to be alert to clear a dangerous cross from Luke Hall out for a corner.

It was from that corner that Spartans took the lead, and in spectacular style. The corner was cleared upfield and Lucas Reed flicked a header over the top of the Worksop defence onto Giraud. He raced clear, then showed great feet to twist away from an onrushing defender to fire Blyth into a deserved lead.

Lewis Baker then did brilliantly to keep Blyth ahead as he smothered an effort from Hall at close range.

However the visitors got their goal a few minutes later as Tomlinson nodded home from a corner.

On the half-hour Almond worked a decent chance for himself as he drove into the box, but his effort failed to trouble Rodzus who gathered comfortably.

Blyth upped the pressure, with Reed unlucky not to score as he headed a Deverdics cross against the post, Worksop managed to clear as far as Simpson who tried his luck from distance and forced Rodzus into another save.

But as has been the tale of much of Blyth's season, they didn't take their chances and were punished. Ethan Slater's cross found an unmarked Tomlinson who headed in his second of the game.

However, Spartans were unfazed, and on 41 minutes had their equaliser through Simpson. Deverdics whipped a ball to the near post and the youngster flicked it brilliantly past the keeper.

Half time: Blyth Spartans 2-2 Worksop Town

Worksop were the first to threaten as Tomlinson, in search of a hattrick, outmucled Milburn and found himself one-on-one with Baker, but the Spartans keeper stayed big and blocked the shot.

Moments later Tomlinson went close again, a dangerous ball in found the striker, but his outstretched effort was well blocked by Deverdics who hacked clear.

Other than that there was little action of note until subsitute Charlie Aitken stung the palms the Worksop keeper in the 70th minute, with a fierce strike from the edge of the box. The subsequent corner was flashed across goal and just evaded the onrushing Almond at the back post.

Worksop then retook the lead after some sloppy defending from Spartans. A dinked ball over the stop of the Blyth defence found Winfield, who had all the time in the world to pick his spot and fire past Baker.

Spartans pushed forward to try and get an equaliser but failed to create any chances, the closest being Giraud firing a free-kick over from 25 yards, as the season ended in defeat at Croft Park.

Full time: Blyth Spartans 2-3 Worksop Town

Blyth Spartans - Baker, Almond, Holvey, Parker, Milburn (Ndiweni 56'), Kinniburgh, Giraud, Richardson, Reed (Aitken 56'), Simpson (Burke 82'), Deverdics (C)

Subs not used - Norvell, Whittaker

Goals - Giraud (13'), Simpson (41')

Worksop Town - Rodzus, Jessop, Winfield, Oadley, Betts, Atherton (C), Gillat, Clarke, Hall, Tomlinson, Slater (Machudu 55')

Goals - Tomlinson (20', 36'), Winfield (83')

Referee - Sam Ross