Blyth Spartans manager Marc Nash admitted it “feels like we’ve been here before” after his side exited the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat at Redcar Town.

Joe Taylor’s third-minute goal proved enough to send Redcar through the First Round Qualifying tie, while Spartans finished the afternoon with ten men following Robbie Spence’s second-half dismissal.

The hosts made the perfect start when they broke down the right-hand side and reached the byline, before a deflected effort fell to Taylor at the back post to finish.

Blyth responded quickly, with Jack Foalle forcing Will Cowey into a save from range before a Rhys Evans cross narrowly evaded Lucas Taylor at the back post.

Spartans threatened again on eight minutes when they worked the ball to Spencer Ashcroft six yards from goal, but Cowey produced an impressive point-blank save to keep Redcar ahead.

Blyth enjoyed plenty of possession as the half progressed, although Redcar continued to pose a threat on the counter-attack.

Dan Lanning came close to an equaliser after Lucas Taylor laid the ball into his path on the edge of the area, with the forward’s powerful strike crashing against the crossbar.

Cowey then made back-to-back saves from Foalle shortly before the interval as Redcar maintained their advantage.

“I don’t know how we didn’t score in the first half,” said Nash. “Their keeper has pulled off two worldly saves and we’ve hit the bar.

“We need that clinical edge. We created opportunities but we’ve got to start taking them.

“I wasn’t happy at half-time, not at all. It feels like we’ve been here before.

We come off the back of a positive performance and then turn in something completely different.”

Half time: Redcar Town 1-0 Blyth Spartans

Blyth began the second half on the front foot, but their task became significantly harder shortly after the hour when Spence was shown a straight red card for a challenge deemed dangerous by the referee.

“The red card absolutely kills us,” Nash said. “It killed any chance we had of getting momentum.

“We made subs to freshen it up, bringing off some physicality and bringing on ball players, but we couldn’t get control of the game and we didn’t show enough personality.”

Ten-man Blyth still threatened an equaliser on 66 minutes when Lanning’s effort was cleared off the line by a Redcar defender with an overhead kick.

Redcar began to take greater control following the dismissal and Taylor almost added his second when his effort narrowly cleared the crossbar.

As Blyth pushed forward in search of a late equaliser, Taylor was presented with another opportunity at the opposite end, but Callum Dobson denied him to keep the visitors in the tie.

Redcar ultimately saw out the closing stages to secure their place in the next round and bring Blyth’s FA Cup campaign to an end.

“We’re so up and down at the minute,” Nash added. “We need to find a middle ground and start building some positive, consistent results.”

Blyth Spartans - Callum Dobson, Rhys Evans, Spencer Ashcroft, Jack Vaulks, Charlie Wood, Jordan Hickey, Paul Dudgeon, Paul Van-Zandvliet, Dan Lanning, Lucas Taylor, Jack Foalle. SUBS: Jack Walker, Joe Watson, Robbie Spence, Rio Joisce, Ewan McGowan, Kuba Zmich

Subs not used - Jack Walker

Redcar Town - Will Cowey, Mathew Garbutt, Olly Cann, Chay Liddle, Callum Luck, Craig Gott, Joe Taylor, Josh Duffield, Jayden Gray, Harry Thompson, Mustapha Abdullahi

SUBS: McCorie Carmichael, Kayden Robinson-Coley, Jude Harrison, Jayden Sekete, Cameron Wilson, Archie Medcalf

Spartans next game is against Wythenshawe at Avensure Community Stadium on Saturday 12 September with a 3pm kick off.

Match photos

A selection of match action images by Paul Lynch.