By Stephen Burton
After finally getting their first win of 2019 at Croft Park with a comfortable 3-0 over Boston, Blyth Spartans will now welcome bottom side Nuneaton Borough on Tuesday night.
Spartans, are now unbeaten in their last four and will go into the game as favourites against a Nuneaton team whose relegation was confirmed with a 3-2 home defeat against Chester on Saturday.
In the reverse fixture Spartans ran out 3-1 winners with Robbie Dale getting on the scoresheet and Dan Maguire bagging a brace.
Spartans currently lie 10th in the table and victory would give their faint play off hopes a major boost. If results go their way, they could end the night one place and just two points outside the play offs.
The opposition:
Nuneaton’s fate was finally confirmed at home to Chester last Saturday after spending most of the season marooned at the bottom of the table. However, they did not go down without a fight and bravely came back from behind twice, only to be dealt with cruellest of blows as play off chasing Chester snatched all three points in the 90th minute.
While Nuneaton have only won four games in the league this season, three of those have come away from home, the most recent being an impressive 4-0 win at FC United on 30th March.
The tale of the tape:
This will be the 17th meeting between the two sides in all competitions, with Spartans winning five. There have been eight draws in the contest, four of which came in a mammoth FA Trophy 3rd Round tie in February 1987, which took three replays before Nuneaton managed to snatch a 1-0 win after extra time.
In more recent times, last seasons match at Croft Park was a cracker, with Spartans coming out 6-3 winners with Dale Hopson getting a hattrick.
The manager:
Nuneaton boss Jimmy Ginelly took over from former boss Lee Fowler in December after great success with Barwell FC in the seventh tier. Ginelly, a Nuneaton fan, also had a spell at the club as a player before injury cut short his career at 23.
The key man:
Ex-England under 21 defender Miles Addison has played over 100 games in League football, most notably during his spell with Derby County. Despite playing at centre back, Addison has contributed a creditable four goals and two assists in 37 games this season.
Spartans team news and milestones:
Dan Maguire is two goals away from reaching 160 for the club, and one strike away from hitting the 25 mark for the season.
Adam Wrightson is now just four games away from making a century of appearances for the club.