BY Niall Bromley
Blyth Spartans attacker Connor Thomson is relieved to get the first point of the National League North campaign on the board.
Thomson played a starring role in Blyth’s 1-1 draw with AFC Telford United, in which Paul Blackett scored an 89th-minute equaliser for Michael Nelson’s side.
It was nothing more than Spartans deserved following an excellent second-half performance at Croft Park.
Thomson told blythspartans.com: “We’re over the moon – you always want to get the first point on the board as early as possible.
“It can be dreadful if you’re waiting and waiting but now it has given us a starting block to kick on now for the rest of the season.”
Spartans trailed 1-0 at the break after Jason Oswell’s 14th-minute opener in a half where Blyth rarely threatened the visitors’ goal.
But a much-improved display in the second interval earned the hosts a point – and Thomson has revealed what was said in the dressing room at half-time.
“We needed half-time to get back in the changing room and say: ‘Come on lads, we’ve given them a comfortable 45 minutes and they’ve only got the one goal’,” he added.
“We just needed to believe in each other more.
“We probably give them too much respect in the first-half but once we got at them in the second-half – we feel we can cause any team problems.
“We just need to kick on from that second-half performance now.”
It looked as though Spartans were going to be left unrewarded for their persistent pressure on the Telford backline until Blackett popped up.
His goal eptimosed Blyth’s efforts in the second-half – chasing down Bucks goalkeeper Russell Griffiths’ clearance before composing himself and slotting home from 20 yards.
“It felt like forever!’ Thomson said, when asked about the on-loan Gateshead striker’s equaliser.
“I was just waiting for the ball to hit the back of the net. I didn’t think it was going in at one point!
“Thankfully, it did and we got a deserved point from the game.”