FULL TIME REPORT: Spartans held by Canaries on night of frustration at Croft Park

In association with:

ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant

Blyth Spartans 1-1 Barwell
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League
Croft Park
Tuesday 17th March 2015
Attendance: 387

Frustration was the byword for Blyth Spartans as they were held to a draw by Barwell at a lively Croft Park. Jarrett Rivers had given Tom Wade's side a lead in the sixteenth minute with a well worked goal involving Michael Richardson and Dan Maguire. However they were pegged back by an equaliser seven minutes before the interval with an equally well-worked goal by Canaries striker Dominic Brennan.

From that moment the equaliser went in all of the pressure was on the visitors with Maguire buzzing around the front line and the lively Richardson always looking dangerous. However they were unable to grab what would have been a deserved winner and were left frustrated at some contentious decisions from the referee and the niggly challenges from the visitors.

Both sides traded early blows that really lacked punch and it wasn't until the sixteenth minute when a severe blow was landed. A Barwell corner was cleared by Spartans and as Nigel Julian tried to play it into the area he was closed down by Michael Richardson. That allowed the midfielder to play Dan Maguire in on goal but the striker was closed dow by Declan Towers. However Maguire remained calm and rolled the ball to the advancing Jarrett Rivers with a sublime reverse pass. That released Rivers in on goal and he calmly stroked the ball past Liam Castle from just inside the area to give Tom Wade's side the lead.

Maguire himself should have doubled Spartans lead with their next chance midway through the half. Damen Mullen fizzed a ball in behind the Barwell back four and that released Maguire, free of the shackles of the Canaries defence he looked to slide the ball past the advancing Castle but saw his effort slide agonisingly wide of the near post.

Barwell were rocking and again the livewire Maguire was at the heart of everything good in green and white. After finding himself some space in the area Maguire played Richardson in on the right hand side but the midfielder saw his rising, angled drive smash off the crossbar and rebound to safety.

The visitors equalised with their first real chance eight minutes before the break. A lovely piece of interplay between Canaries strikers Malcolm Melvin and Dominic Brennan allowed the latter to race through on goal and he kept to composure to roll the ball just inside Nick Thomson's near post.

With half time approaching there was a massive appeal for a penalty from Spartans as Michael Richardson was brought down in the area. Dan Maguire burst down the left and played a cross into the midfielder, his first touch caused problems for the Barwell defence and there was a collision between Richardson and Declan Towers. However the official deemed it insufficient of a spot kick and the sides went into half time level.

Within five minutes of the restart Spartans almost regained the lead A flowing move down the right saw Jarrett Rivers play the overlapping Alex Nicholson in the right hand side of the area. The full back played the ball back to the edge of teh area to find Robbie Dale but the winger sent his first time right foot effort just wide of the far post.

Spartans maintained the upper hand and the pressure was all on their visitors. Twenty minutes into the half a Jarrett Rivers cross was misjudged at the back post by Scott Lower and fell kindly for Dale. He cut back in on his right foot and curled a ball just past the far post.

As the pressure was increased Barwell began to frustrate the Croft Park faithful with some niggly fouls. After being booked minutes earlier Lower produced a cynical trip on Dale and was lucky to escape a second caution and with it a red card.

With seven minutes left on the clock Spartans almost grabbed what would have been a fortuiotous second. A Richardson corner from the left found its way to Rivers on the left hand side of the area and the winger hooked a ball goalwards. For a moment the ball looked like it would drop just underneath the bar but Canaries keeper Castle acrobatically tipped it over the bar.

The referee contiued to incur the wrath of the Green Army and with five minutes remaining he sent the noise levels to a new high with another rejected penalty appeal, this one looked clear cut. Richardson drove down the right and curled a cross that struck the hand of Edward Nisevic but the official waved away appeals from Spartans players, coaches and supporters alike.

That topped off a night of frustration for Tom Wade and his side, where they will look upon the game as two points dropped, although they couldn't have done much more to take all three points. They now move on to their third game of the week as they travel to Ramsbottom United on Thursday night.

Spartans: Thomson, Nicholson, Mullen, Watson, Hutchinson, Turnbull, Richardson, Dale, Maguire, Wade (Hooks 77), Rivers Subs not used: Wearmouth, Lynch, Davis, Hawkins Goals: Rivers 16

Barwell: Castle, Lower, Nisevic, Jenno, Towers, Lavery, Tomkinson, Julian, Brennan, Melvin, Carney Subs not used: Hadland, Willis, Craythorne, Stretton Goals: Brennan 38

Referee:

Mr Ellis