Pre-season | Local derby with Blyth Town

Blyth Spartans continue their pre-season programme with a mouthwatering local derby at newly-promoted neighbours Blyth Town this afternoon.

Town have won the Northern Alliance Premier Division on three consecutive occasions, and have recently met the ground grading requirements for promotion to the Northern League.

A formidable outfit in the Alliance, manager Mick Connors has assembled a squad which includes an array of Northern League talent, with the likes of Matthew Crook, Andrew Keenan, Gary Day and Rob Nolan all lining up at South Newsham this year. The club has also snapped up ex-Dunston UTS and Morpeth Town forward Dale Pearson, Ashington defender Craig Smith and a host of players from West Allotment Celtic.

One player who will not be representing Town in the Northern League is Zak Atkinson. A regular scorer for Blyth Town, the 21-year-old has impressed during his trial at Croft Park, and was confirmed as a Blyth Spartans player earlier this week.

Spartans emerged victorious when the two sides last met ten years ago, and supporters can anticipate another close encounter between the town's two football teams. Kick-off is at 2.30pm.