Eastwood Town 1-4 Blyth Spartans

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ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant

Eastwood Town 1-4 Blyth Spartans
Saturday 27th April
Coronation Park
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Attendance: 122

A professional performance from Spartans saw them chalk up their biggest away win of the season beating already relegated Eastwood Town 4-1 at Coronation Park. A first half Joe Kendrick goal along with a second half Robbie Dale effort and a brace from Andy Jennings ensured that Tom Wade's side took all three points against the Badgers.

On a boggy pitch the quality of football played was never going to be at it's purest and it was the home side who had the first chance in the thirteenth minute as Chris Shaw broke from left back and fired a twenty yard effort just past Conor Grant's far post. Gradually though Spartans quality began to show through and Craig Hubbard crashed an effort just over the bar from the edge of the box on eighteen minutes. It was only a matter of time before Spartans took the lead and they did that in the twentieth minute. Robbie Dale swung over a right footed cross from the left that found Daniel Maguire at the far post, he took one touch and rolled the ball across the six yard box where Joe Kendrick was left with a simple finish for his ninth goal of the season.

Spartans were firmly in control of the game and were playing the better football. Just before the half hour mark they came within a whisker of doubling their lead as Robbie Dale crashed a twenty five yard effort off the left hand post of Alex Malong's goal. The last chance of the first half came a minute before the interval and it fell to Spartans as they had a golden chance to confirm their dominance of the first period. A Stephen Turnbull free kick from the left wing saw Jordan Mellish rise above everyone to flick a header from ten yards just past the far post so Spartans went into the interval with just a single goal lead.

The second half started in somewhat controversial circumstances a Maguire was sent through on goal and knocked the ball past the onrushing Malong. The ex Cameroon Under 21 keeper caught Maguire who seemed to be clean through on goal and although a free kick was given referee Jonathon Walker only gave Malong a yellow card despite denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. From the resultant free kick Robbie Dale curled just past the near post with Malong beaten.

Wade made his first chance ten minutes into the second half with Andy Jennings replacing Lee Mason and the former Billingham Synthonia striker would go on to have quite an impact in the final third of the game. On sixty six minutes he linked up with strike partner Maguire before rolling the ball to the unmarked Robbie Dale. The winger took one touch and calmly rolled the ball into the far corner for his tenth goal of the season, the first Spartans player to hit double figures this term but hopefully not the last.

Just a minute later Spartans lead was halved as Bradley Munn drove into the right hand side of the area and found the unmarked Paolo Piliero who tapped home from inside the six yard box. Despite being back in the game the home side never threatened to take anything out of the game for all of their effort and endeavour and it was Spartans who looked like extending their lead rather than conceding again. They were to extend their lead with five minutes left as a twenty yard shot from Craig Hubbard deflected off Mitch Hanson. That forced Malong into a smart stop but the keeper couldn't hold on to the ball and Andy Jennings applied a simple finish from close range.

Jennings got his second of the game in injury time and ensured that Spartans scored four on the road for the second time in two away games. Dale teased Badgers right back Dominic Allen and rolled the ball into Jennings inside the area. The big front man spun his marker and crashed into the far corner from twelve yards. That was Spartans second win in a row and means that the target set of four wins in a row to end the season is still on course to be achieved. Relegation threatened Kendal Town are next up as the Mintcakes travel to Croft Park in a game that sees Spartans bring down the curtain on their 2012/13 home campaign.

Spartans Man of the Match:

Jordan Mellish

Eastwood Town:

Malong, Allen, Shaw, Hanson, Roberts, Rogers, Piliero, Craven(Graham 58), Winch, Munn, Riley strong> Subs not used:

Diuk, Raven, Selvam

Goalscorers

Piliero 67

Blyth Spartans:

Grant, Slaughter, Kendrick, Mellish, Buchanan, Mason(Jennings 56), Turnbull(Berj 63), Hubbard, Hooks, Maguire(Airey 74), Dale

Subs not used:

Cook, Donnelly

Scorers:

Kendrick 20, Dale 66, Jennings 85 and 90 +1

Referee:

Jonathon Walker