In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
FA Youth Cup Third Round Qualifying
Tuesday, October 13th 2021
BLYTH SPARTANS 4-2 AFC FYLDE
Blyth Spartans advanced into the First Round Proper of the FA Youth Cup with a historic 4-2 victory over AFC Fylde.
Jamie Norvell’s brace and a wonderstrike from Dawson Carr handed the young Spartans a 3-1 lead at the break.
Nathan Cliffe scored early in the second-half for Fylde but Owen Mitchell wrapped up the cup tie in the fourth minute of injury time.
The visitors played the final five minutes with 10 men as Isaac Lee was shown a second yellow card.
Fylde edged the opening stages as Spartans goalkeeper Callum Elliott produced a stunning save to keep out Regan Whittaker’s free-kick.
Moments later, Fylde put the ball in the net from close-range but the linesman immediately raised his flag for offside.
Fylde then appealed for a penalty but Isaac Lee was left red-faced when referee Mark McMahon booked him for diving.
On 22 minutes, Spartans registered their first shot on target as Cion McPartland dived to keep out Matthew Nesbitt’s low drive from 25 yards.
From then on, the home gained confidence and got their noses in front on the half-hour mark through Jamie Norvell’s fourth goal in the competition.
The winger drove a low shot from 20 yards that managed to beat McPartland, despite the Fylde goalkeeper getting a touch to it.
Norvell quickly doubled his and Spartans’ tally. This time, he powered into the penalty box before showing the composure to slot the ball into the bottom corner with his right foot.
Blyth were in complete control and Fylde pulled a goal back out of nothing. A corner into the box was met by Kieran Jones, whose header looped over Elliott.
Another Fylde player, Nathan Cliffe, was booked for diving in the box, though this time it was more debatable.
Spartans would have been content with their 2-1 lead at the break but an absolute worldie from Dawson Carr extended their advantage.
With his supposedly weaker right foot, Carr left McPartland with no chance as his strike nestled into the top left corner.
Fylde really came at Spartans in the opening stages of the second half with a clear intention of getting an early goal.
Elliott’s fingertips save from Jones momentarily denied Fylde before Cliffe poked home from close-range to make it 3-2.
Fylde maintained their pressure and forced a Spartans change in defence with Charlie Cave replacing Sammy Watson.
Cave and his defensive teammates soon stood still when Layton Hartley found space in the box but he thankfully sliced his effort wide.
The final quarter of an hour was end-to-end and nervy all in one as Fylde pushed for an equaliser to take the game straight to penalties.
Lee was shown his marching order for the visitors after receiving a second yellow for a foul on Owen Mitchell, but that didn’t halt their momentum.
Elliott produced heroics with a point-blank save before Mitchell wrapped up the game with virtually the last kick of the game.
The historic 4-2 victory put Spartans into the First Round Proper, where League One and Two academies enter.
The tie is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 6.
Blyth Spartans: Elliott, Dopson, Carr, Walker, Habib, Watson (Cave, 58), Norvell, Dudgeon, Mitchell, Hepple (66), Nesbitt. Subs not used: Errington, Livermore, Shilling, Spencer, Chapman.
Goals: Norvell (32, 36), Carr (45), Mitchell (90+4)
AFC Fylde: McPartland, Whittaker (Taylor, 45), Hayhurst, Keenan, Jones, Lee, Chambers, Hartley, Cliffe, Riding, Ball. Subs not used: Clifford, Taylor, Clark, Hodgeson, Joyce, Thompson, Jones.
Goals: Jones (41), Cliffe (54)
Referee: Mark McMahon
Attendance: 243