In association with:
ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant
Blyth Spartans 2-1 Halesowen Town
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Croft Park
Saturday 4th March 2015
Attendance: 575
A chink of light that has shone just a little bit brighter thanks to a win over Halesowen Town, coupled with some favourable results elsewhere. That is how to look upon Blyth Spartans play off hopes as they put in a professional performance against a dogged, determined and well-organised Yeltz side, who frustrated the vast majority inside Croft Park for large parts of the game.
That was until Stephen Turnbull’s sixty first minute penalty, a goal that brought up Spartans century of competitive goals for the campaign. Michael Richardson doubled his side’s lead with just under quarter of an hour remaining and all seemed fairly straightforward for Spartans, until veteran striker Iysden Christie curled a sublime twenty yard free kick home with a minute remaining and set the nerves jangling for the Green Army. They shouldn’t have bothered though as Spartans comfortable saw out three minutes of injury time to get the win they deserved.
Wade made one change from Tuesday’s draw with play-off rivals Ashton United with Jarrett Rivers returning in place of Arran Wearmouth on the right hand side of Spartans attacking trio.
The first half was something bordering on a non-event as both sides struggled to get going, uncharacteristic errors were the norm and if anything Croft Park seemed as if it could settle into an early Spring Saturday afternoon snooze. That said, Spartans should have taken the lead in the tenth minute as Rivers and Richardson combined but the latter wasted the opportunity by firing timidly when clean through on goal and Sam Pearson saved easily.
If anyone seemed likely to break the slumber it would be the in-form Dan Maguire. The Spartans striker did test Pearson midway through the half but the Yeltz number one was up to the take as he produced an excellent reaction save to block Maguire’s rising angled drive.
Apart from a bobbling, underhit shot from striker Aaron Lloyd the visitors struggled to create anything meaningful during the first half. The powerful striker hit a low shot from just inside the Spartans area but Nick Thomson saved comfortably and soon after that stop referee Paul Newhouse brought first half proceedings to an end, some would say thankfully.
The second half had to improve and Spartans were first to show their intent within a minute of the restart and it should be no surprise that it was Maguire who was the man to do it. Spartans top scorer collected a loose ball midway inside the Yeltz half and burst forward, easing his way past Joe Hull and Curtis Tilt before firing across goal and just past Pearson’s far post.
It was a spark that Spartans needed and they dictated play, finally getting their reward just after the hour mark. A neat passage of play involving Maguire, Richardson and Robbie Dale saw the latter find some space inside the area but delayed his shot sufficiently for Yeltz captain Hull to block. The loose ball fell to Maguire and he was illegally brought to the ground by Tilt. A spot kick was awarded and Stephen Turnbull sent Pearson the wrong way to put his side in front and bring up their century of goals for the season.
The game was all Spartans and Richardson came within an inch of a spectacular second with twenty minutes remaining. The former Newcastle United midfielder collected a pass twenty five yards from goal and curled a dipping right foot shot on to the top of the visitors crossbar, with Pearson scrambling and grasping at thin air.
Six minutes later Richardson would not be denied. Again the trio of Richardson, Maguire and Dale caused allsorts of problems for the Yeltz defence and when Dale casually but accurately played Richardson in on goal the only issue was whether Maguire would be given offside. However, the striker intelligently stopped his forward movement and allowed Richardson to take over and go clean through on goal. In truth he never looked like missing and calmly rolled the ball past the advancing Pearson and sealed the points for his side.
There was to be a late scare for Spartans, isn’t there always? A foul by substitute Matthew Wade on Danny Bragoli saw referee Newhouse award a free kick around twenty yards from goal. The official also showed Wade a yellow card, probably not the card the midfielder was hoping for as he celebrates his birthday. Former Coventry City striker Iyesden Christie stepped up and curled a deadly accurate effort past Thomson, although the Spartans keeper got a hand to it but couldn’t stop it nestling just inside his near post.
Maybe in the past this young Spartans side may well have rather naively kept attacking their visitors lookin for a crowd-pleasing third goal. However, if anything shows their development, it should be the way they kept possession, ran down the clock and effectively killed off the game before receiving the deserved and hearty praise of the majority inside Croft Park.
Now they move on to Monday’s increasingly important away clash at Workington, a place where their last visit saw a downtrodden, demotivated and unorganised Spartans side exit the FA Cup two years ago on a rain sodden Monday night. Now, a vibrant and committed side head along the A69 where, no matter what the result is, the fans who will travel with them will know they will see a side who give their all.
Spartans: Thomson, Nicholson, Watson, Parker, Bramley, Turnbull (Wade 84), Richardson (Hawkins 77), Dale, Maguire, Hooks, Rivers (Wearmouth 65) Subs not used: Lynch, Davis Goals: Turnbull 61 pen, Richardson 76
Halesowen Town: Pearson, Green, Griffiths, Forde, Hull, Tilt, Granville, Tonks, Lloyd (Christie 70), Meese (Charlton 70), Bragoli Subs not used: Haseley, Sargent Goals: Christie 89
Referee: Paul Newhouse