Warrington Rylands v Blyth Spartans | Saturday, 9 November 2024 - 15:00 | League

Spartans left Warrington empty handed despite a spirited performance which saw them hit the bar twice and have a shot cleared off the line.

The hosts took the lead 10 minutes before half time through Ben Hardcastle, Billy Gordon then equalised early in the second half for Spartans before a controversial penalty decision helped Warrington claim all three points.

The game marked a new era for Blyth Spartans with Michael Connor taking his first game since becoming Spartans manager last Sunday.

New signing Adam Richardson made his debut in goal for Spartans with Michael Hogan suspended.

Both sides exchanged passages of possession in the early stages of the game with little goalmouth action.

The first real opportunity of the game fell to Spartans winger Max Storey in the 20th minute when his attempt from inside the area was blocked by a last ditch attempt from a Rylands defender.

The hosts then broke up the other end of the pitch on the counter attack but their eventual cross was claimed by Spartans debutant goalkeeper Richardson, who then quickly set Blyth away on a counter of their own with Billy Gordon curling a shot from the edge of the box that was agonisingly too high.

The end-to-end action continued as the half wore on as Richardson had to tip a deep cross from under his own bar over for a corner.

Spartans were effectively pressing high up the pitch winning the ball in the opposition half on numerous occasions, this time from Mitch Curry in the 32nd minute, who then released Gordon but he was denied by Scott Holding with a last ditch tackle.

The hosts then took the lead in the 35th minute following a corner. Hardcastle played the corner towards the back post where there was an unmarked Rylands player but he skewed his shot, fortunately for the hosts into the path of Hardcastle who drilled his shot low past Richardson.

Spartans responded immediately as Curry found himself in space in the box but his attempt clipped the top of the crossbar.

Curry was denied again in the 40th minute when he met Joe Oliver's cross with his head only for Luke Pilling to parry his attempt onto the bar once again.

Spartans came agonisingly close to an equaliser in stoppage time of the first half as Pilling clawed at Greg Halford's long throw but the ball fell to skipper Nicky Deverdics whose attempt from the edge of the box was cleared off the line, with the referee and assistants deeming the ball to have not crossed the line.

Half time: Warrington Rylands 1-0 Blyth Spartans

Richardson was called into action once again in the 47th minute to deny Alex Kiwomya who had raced through on goal.

Spartans found their equaliser in the 53rd minute through Billy Gordon. Spartans' top scorer drilled his shot low across Pilling from the edge of the box to tie up the score and net his fifth goal of the season.

The hosts then answered back as George Waring's shot from inside the area flashed just wide of the post with Richardson at full stretch.

Richardson denied Rylands a second goal with only 15 minutes to go with a reflex save from close range before the hosts then struck the post from the rebounded attempt.

A minute later, controversy struck when the referee awarded the hosts a penalty after a Warrington player went down in the area, this occurred after the ball was seemingly kicked out of Richardson's hands.

Hardcastle stepped up to take the spot kick and converted to give the hosts a 2-1 lead in the 77th minute.

Rylands thought they had a third with less than 10 minutes to go but it was ruled out for offside.

Full time: Warrington Rylands 2-1 Blyth Spartans