Eastwood Town v Blyth Spartans (Match Preview)

BLUE SQUARE BET NORTH

Venue: Coronation Park, Eastwood (NG16 3HB)
Date: Saturday September 3, 2011
Kick Off: 3pm
Score Updates:

Official Blyth Spartans Twitter feed

Admission Details:

Adults and Concessions - £4
Child (with Adult) - £1

GROUND DIRECTIONS

Exit A1 at J35 and, at the roundabout, take the third exit onto the M18 ramp to Sheffield/M1/ Rotherham/M18 (S).
Merge onto the M18 and, after approx. nine miles, this will merge into the M1.
Continue on the M1 for approx. 23.5 miles and, at J27 of the M1, take the A608 exit to Heanor/Hucknall and continue onto Willey Ln/B600.

After two miles, continue onto Moorgreen/B6010 and follow the B6010 for one mile approx. Turn right onto Nottingham Rd and continue along this road, looking for the Fire Station on the right hand side.

Take the first right after the Fire Station, onto Chewton St, The ground is located 150 metres on the right.

Sat Navs: The postcode for the ground is NG16 3HB.

TEAM NEWS

Glen Taylor (broken metetarsal), Phil Bannister (knee) and Matt Hunter (groin) all picked up injuries in the 3-3 draw with Harrogate on Monday.
Taylor is out for at least six weeks, Bannister faces two-three weeks on the sidelines and, while the timescale of Hunter's recovery is still to be confirmed, he will miss the trip to Eastwood. Shaun Vipond is still suffering from shin splints and will miss out once again.
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New loan signing David Knight has been cleared to compete, so could make his debut between the sticks on Saturday.

Wayne Phillips was sent off against Harrogate, but his ban does not appear to have started as of yet.

Eastwood joint-manager Jamie Brough is also awaiting a ban, after receiving a red card during his side's demoralising 0-5 defeat against Corby Town on Monday.

Latest starting line-ups:

Eastwood Town (0-5 v Corby Town, August 29): Severn, Troke, Riley, Armstrong, Caines, Mitchell, Sheridan, Istead, Elliot, Morris and Benjamin. Subs: Bradely, Want, Christie, Fairclough and Westcarr.

Blyth Spartans (3-3 v Harrogate Town, August 29): Hunter (Crook), Groves, Cave, Jones, Coulson, Buchanan, Forster, Hooks, Armstrong, Bannister (Taylor, replaced by Emms), Phillips. Subs not used: Purvis, Slaughter.

MATCH PREVIEW

After an exillerating 3-3 draw with Harrogate Town, Blyth Spartans will travel down to Eastwood Town in good spirits and will be hopeful of a good result against the Nottinghamshire side, who suffered a demoralising 0-5 Bank Holiday Monday defeat at Corby Town.

Blyth went 2-0 behind after six minutes and even went a player down on Monday, but goals from David Coulson and Dan Groves - and an inspired performance by Graeme Armstrong - saw them fight back to claim a much-deserved point. They will look to start Saturday's game in the same way the finished against Town, as they go looking for only their second win of the season.

Meanwhile, August's Port of Blyth Player of the Month Wayne Buchanan will be hoping that his 50th appearance for Spartans ends in a better result than that of his defensive team mate Phil Cave, who celebrated his milestone during the 0-5 loss at Guiseley.

Eastwood are currently 15th in the Conference North and will hope to keep their visitors at bay, so that they are able to stay above the Spartans come the final whistle.

IN THE OPPOSING DUGOUT

Craig Armstrong and Jamie Brough

The joint-managers joined the club in May 2011, after Eastwood were denied a place in last seasons playoffs by the league.

Armstrong - whose previous clubs include Nottingham Forest, Burnley, Bristol Rovers, Gillingham (two spells,) Watford, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Grimsby Town, Bradford City, Cheltenham Town, Burton Albion, Kidderminster Harriers and Mansfield Town - is also registered as a defender for the Nottinghamshire club, after leaving Forest Green last season.

DANGER MAN

Lee Morris

Eastwood's top scorer so far - with two goals - the former Sheffield United, Derby County, Leicester City, Yeovil Town and Hereford United forward is in his first season with the club.

Morris spent the 2010-11 season with Kidderminster Harriers. At the end of the season, he was offered a coaching role at the club, working with the academy as well as continuing his playing career. However, he turned it down and became a player-coach at Eastwood Town, linking up with his former Huddersfield Town and Forest Green team mate, Craig Armstrong.

MATCH FACTS

Eastwood Town:

- Have only lost once against in their six meetings with Blyth, with Spartans sole victory coming in this fixture last season.
- Just over half their points have come from their home games, with a win and a draw against Solihull and Gloucester respectively.
- They are suspect to late goals, having conceeded five goals in the last 10 minutes of their games so far.

Blyth Spartans:

- Centre back Wayne Buchanan will make his 50th appearance for Spartans, since he joined the club last summer, if he is selected.
- If selected, David Knight will make his debut for the club. Incidently, if he starts, Blyth will have had four different goalkeepers starting in just seven games.
- If they fail to win, Spartans could slip into the relegation zone, depending on the results of Workington and Hinckley United.

PREVIOUS CLASHES

2010/2011 - Conference North - Blyth Spartans 0-0 Eastwood Town

2010/2011 - Conference North - Eastwood Town 0-2 Blyth Spartans (Brayson pen 2)

2009/2010 - Conference North - Blyth Spartans 1-3 Eastwood Town (Brayson)

2009/2010 - Conference North - Eastwood Town 4-2 Blyth Spartans (Brayson, Alexander)

1994/1995 - Northern Premier League Division One - Eastwood Town 1-0 Blyth Spartans

1994/1995 - Northern Premier League Division One - Blyth Spartans 0-0 Eastwood Town

MUTUAL FRIENDS

None

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: J Tyas
Assistants: T Bramall & A Hull

BLUE SQUARE BET MATCH ODDS

Eastwood Town win: evens
Draw: 12/5
Blyth Spartans win: 21/10