Gainsborough Trinity 2 Blyth Spartans 0 (Match Reaction)

'The Blues Club' is situated in the corner of Gainsborough Trinity's Northolme ground.
Blues singer Seasick Steve isn't due to appear but Spartans Steve was there on Saturday and certainly suffering from a dose of the blues. Blyth Spartans manager Steve Cuggy had seen his muted side go down by two goals to nil against an upbeat Lincolnshire side.
"It was definitely a disappointing result," he said. "Losing our last two away games is not good. We didn't create as much as we would have liked yesterday and we need to address that issue. Actually we created more opportunities midweek at Guiseley when we got a 5-0 hiding. One good thing about the Gainsborough result was that we only have to wait two days for our next match - at home to Harrogate Town. There's a lot of character and heart in our dressing room at the moment and we can't wait to get at Harrogate on Monday."
Blyth suffered an early set back on Saturday when, after only 11 minutes a penalty was awarded against them. However debutant goalkeeper Mathew Hunter pulled off a superb save to keep the score line blank.
Cuggy was not surprised with the referee's decision to award the spot kick.
"The ref couldn't wait to give it," he suggested. "He'd denied them a handball seconds earlier and felt he should give them the penalty as a result. But the players knew there was no point in getting angry, we just had to get on with it."
The first half saw the home side dominant with Blyth's passing letting them down as well as weak finishing. Nevertheless it was the visitors who came good in the last five minutes and were looking well placed for a more emphatic second period. One which didn't materialise.
Cuggy commented: "Yes we had our best spell just before the interval and we could have done without half time as we were starting to put it together!"
Gainsborough worried the Blyth defence in the 46th minute, hitting the post and Hunter in the Spartans' goal was called in to action five minutes later, pulling off an excellent diving save. However he could do nothing to prevent Gainsborough going ahead when, ten minutes later, the ball ricocheted from midfield directly into the path of Ryan Kendall who side stepped Hunter to score.
With a quarter of an hour remaining 'The Blues' scored their second when a shot from Ryan Williams was adjudged to have crossed the line after coming down off the cross bar.
Cuggy introduced three substitutes in an effort to recover the game but to no avail.
Looking at the positives from his side's display Cuggy pointed to two.
"Young Mathew Hunter did really well. We know he has a lot of ability which is why we put him on a contract," he said. Hunter failed to catch a couple of corners in the first half but Cuggy was able to draw consolation from that. "At least he came for the ball - he was decisive and that is very important for a keeper."
The Blyth boss suggested that midfielder Adam Forster, who has just returned from holiday, may be in contention to start the Bank Holiday game against Harrogate although Lee Mason is still struggling with a hamstring problem.
Given the spluttering showing, and inconsistent passing, at the weekend Cuggy will be hoping for a Bank Holiday with fewer blues and more rhythm.