Graham Fenton’s side host top-of-the-league Tamworth at Croft Park on Saturday afternoon in what shapes up to potentially be the toughest task of the 2023/24 campaign to date.
The Spartans returned to the play-off places and winning ways last weekend after their 3-0 victory over Bishop’s Stortford, moving the Club up to seventh, albeit surrounding teams possess a game-in-hand.
On Wednesday night, it was announced that the week commencing December 4, 2023, Spartans will welcome Newcastle Benfield FC in the quarter-final of the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup.
TICKET INFORMATION
You can buy tickets with cash or card at the gate on the day or online here. All ticket information is as follows:
- Adults – £15 standing
- Concessions (over 65) – £9
- 11-16 Years & Students – £6
- Under-10s are admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult.
To be seated in the Port of Blyth main stand, an extra £2 cost will be incurred for each category.
TEAM NEWS
Rio Joisce has been recalled from his loan spell at North Shields for whom he made seven appearances for while scoring twice in the process.
Cedric Main made a return to action last weekend against Bishop’s Stortford, scoring one and assisting another before being withdrawn just before the hour mark.
There are no updates on the conditions of JJ Hooper, Michael Liddle and Lewis Knight’s respective injuries, however, Billy Gordon played the final 30 minutes for the under-19s on Wednesday afternoon in a stalemate at Wensleydale against FC Halifax Town.
WHAT WE’RE SAYING
Following the 3-0 victory against Bishop’s Stortford, assistant manager and goalscorer from the match Jon Shaw said: “I should’ve definitely had a hat-trick ball in my arm, maybe a little bit of rust, but overall happy to get the goal, Devs’ (Nicky Deverdics) strike is unbelievable to get us off the mark and then that just opens up the game a little more, which frees up spaces and I’m happy to run and exploit.
“The players that we’ve got, you know Cedric (Main) is going to cause them trouble, you know Devs’ quality, you know JJ (O’Donnell), you know Will McGowan, everyone in that half of the pitch is going to put balls in the box and in dangerous areas.
“Really happy to get the goal, it’s obviously more important that we come out with the result, really happy for Ced, he put a lot of effort in, created my goal, and for him to get himself a goal as well coming back from injury that will do him and the team a world of good.”
OPPOSITION
Tamworth were promoted to the National League North for this season after they won the Southern League Premier Division Central, ending their six-year stint away from the National League North.
In their last league outing, Tamworth beat Darlington 4-0 at home, extending their unbeaten run in the National League North to seven games.
Last weekend, The Lambs missed out on the chance of advancing to the Emirates FA Cup First Round as they lost 1-0 to Curzon Ashton in the fourth qualifying round.
LAST TIME WE MET
The sides last met in 2016 at The Lamb Ground when Robbie Dale’s hat-trick sealed a 3-0 victory for the travelling Spartans.
At Croft Park, in the same season, Blyth defeated Tamworth 4-2 through four different goalscorers; Ryan Hutchinson, Dan Maguire, Jarrett Rivers and Dale Hodgson, Reece Styche also scored both goals for Tamworth.
MEDIA COVERAGE
You can follow all of the action on Saturday afternoon via our social media platforms and BlythLive on Mixlr from 2:45pm.