Blyth Spartans 1 Gainsborough Trinity 3 (Match Report)

On a miserable day for Spartans, Gainsborough punished some basic errors from the home side to leave Blyth boss Mick Tait reflecting on what has been a difficult week at Croft Park.

Blyth began the game well with Liam O'Mahoney, in his first start for the club, finding Alexander with a low cross but the striker couldn't direct his volley on target.

Spartans once again looked the more likely to take the lead when Hooks played a neat ball to Alexander in the area who flashed a shot across the face of goal which evaded Brayson at the back post. Gainsborough came into the game more and had a succession of free kicks on the edge of the Blyth box. One of these efforts from Lewis McMahon just crept wide of the post after taking a deflection off the wall.

The home side came close when Deverdics hit a fierce shot from outside the area that had the keeper sprawling across goal but the ball flew the wrong side of the post. The visitor's first goal came on 39 minutes when Ryan Kendall pounced on a misplaced pass in the Blyth midfield. He ran with the ball to the edge of the box to shoot low and hard into the far corner leaving Blyth keeper Jake Cunningham with no chance. Kendall looked dangerous again just minutes later when he got the wrong side of his marker only to blast wide.

The second half started much the same as the first with the home side piling on the pressure. John Alexander found himself through on goal after a flick from Deverdics but could only fire straight at the keeper. In a passage of play which summed up Blyth's afternoon Paul Brayson hit the inside of the post and watched the ball roll into the keepers arms. Gainsborough then scored a crucial second goal in their next attack when a cross from Kendall found Lewis McMahon who capitalised on a lack of understanding in the Blyth defence to score in the 55th minute.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts on 67 minutes when the impressive Kendall grabbed his second of the game. Cunningham hesitated following a back pass from Buchanan and his clearance cannoned off the striker into the goal.

A moment of brilliance from Brayson served only as a consolation when in the 74th minute he played a one two with Alexander and curled a sublime shot into the far corner of the net. A late fight back from the home side did not materialise and The Gainsborough defence snuffed out any potential danger to ensure Brian Little secured only his second victory of the season.

Blyth will be looking to get back on track in their next home fixture against Hyde on the 23rd of October.

Blyth Spartans: Cunningham, Morris, Cave, Hooks, Swailes, Buchanan, Deverdics (Dale), Turnbull, Brayson, Alexander, O'Mahoney.
MOM: Alexander

Gainsborough Trinity: Barnes, Williams, Robinson, Cowen, Waterfall, Greaves (Peat), Williams, McMahon, Kendall (Hume), Clarke, Aiston.
MOM: Kendall

Ref: Mr Gordon