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ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Blyth Spartans 1 – 1 Ashton United
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Croft Park, Blyth
Tuesday, 20th October, 2015
Attendance: 525
Report by Michael Bowers
Sean Reid’s second-half header rescued a potentially precious point for Blyth as they drew 1-1 at home to Ashton United on Tuesday.
Gary Gee put the visitors ahead in a first period which was somewhat one-sided, and the visitors would have felt hard done by to only be 1-0 up at the break.
But Blyth’s goal, just before the hour mark, had been coming as Tom Wade’s side started the second-half better.
An injury-time Robbie Dale free-kick was blocked as Blyth then searched for a winner but they could hardly make a case for deserving all three points as Ashton still looked threatening on the break in the second-half.
Darlington won their game to send themselves top of the Evo-Stik league table on goal difference but Blyth do have a game in hand, a game which could prove vital come the end of the season.
Ashton, who are 15th in the table, will be left ruing the chances they missed in the first-half after they went ahead with just 11 minutes on the clock.
Adam Morning burst his way down the left wing and his cross went over Fabian Otte and met Gary Gee who slotted home from close range.
Blyth’s defence was put under serious pressure again when Morning set up Martin Pilkington who could only chip his effort over Otte and the crossbar.
Paul Marshall, who was unmarked just outside the area, then produced a tame shot which went wide to the right post.
Blyth’s reprieve continued when Pilkington fired wide of the left post this time and missed two further chances following counter-attacks.
At the other end, Michael Richardson missed a chance to make it 1-1 as he slipped and missed a drilled ball which rolled across the six-yard area before he shot and brought a comfortable save from visiting keeper Paul Phillips.
Daniel Maguire had the hosts’ best chance with the last kick before half-time as he curled a delicious effort only inches wide.
However after the break, the hosts took advantage of the visitors’ wasteful finishing as they grew into the game and Richardson had a fantastic chance to level the scores.
Unmarked outside the six-yard area, he smashed his shot against the crossbar, much to the dismay of the home fans inside Croft Park, and Maguire was unable to head the rebound in.
On 59 minutes dale set up Reid, who had missed a decent chance not long beforehand, to score when he met a cross from the right-hand side with a precise header to make it 1-1.
From then on the game became very open as Matty Chadwick, who came on for Johnson, was instrumental in setting up chances for Ashton, one of which saw an effort from the edge of the penalty area smash against the bar.
But at the other end, an-unmarked Maguire met a low cross and was only able to smash an effort over the bar from six yards out.
And after Reid, again unmarked, headed straight at Phillips from a similar distance, Dale had the chance to snatch a last-gasp winner but 1-1 was just about the best Blyth deserved from the game.
But the team can take character from getting a point after going behind in advance of a tough test away to Buxton on Saturday.
TEAMS
Blyth Spartans: 1. Fabian Otte, 2. Andrew Cartwright, 3. Alex Nicholson, 4. Dillon Morse, 5. Danny Parker, 6. Sean Reid, 7. Michael Richardson (Aaron Wearmouth 70), 8. Neal Hooks, 9. Daniel Maguire, 10. Paul Robinson (Damen Mullen 71), 11. Robert Dale (capt.)
Subs: 14. Jordan Watson, 16. Ashley Davis, 17. Stephen Turnbull. Goalscorer: Sean Reid.
Blyth Spartans star man: Andrew Cartwright
Ashton United: 1. Paul Phillips, 2. Cavell Coo, 3. Steve Mason, 4. Jason Gorton (capt.), 5. Liam Goulding, 6. Will Manning (Chris Baguley 65), 7. Paul Marshall, 8. Gary Gee, 9. Martin Pilkington (Matty Chadwick 59), 10. Dale Johnson, 11. Adam Morning. Goalscorer: Gary Gee.
Subs: 14. Jeff King, 15. Chris Sutherland, 17. Steve Halford
Ashton star man: Adam Morning
Entertainment rating: 3/5
Referee: Will Finnie, Assistants: Adam Herczeg, Andrew Kitchen.