Reaction to the Frickley game

The Spartans put on a stunning show at Frickley on Tuesday night.

The 1-0 winning score line doesn't do justice to the way Blyth acquitted themselves.

Manager Tom Wade said: "It was a great performance. We gave Neal Hooks a breather and brought in Craig Hubbard with Matty Wade in a defensive midfield role. It worked well. To be honest in the recent games against Stocksbridge and Matlock we didn't reach the standards we set ourselves but at Frickley we were back strongly.

"It was a fantastic game of football for anyone who was watching. We played it the correct way-getting the ball down and passing."

The first half saw chances fall to both sides but it was Blyth's quality of passing and pressing which caught the eye.

"We moved the ball a lot quicker," said Wade. "Some of the football we played, and with such energy, was a pleasure to see. We got the ball forward from midfield very quickly which benefitted the forwards. We played too deep against Matlock but on Tuesday we played higher up the park. It did mean, however, that we were caught out by some balls over the top. They did have some close things but you have to expect that from a home team over 90 minutes.

"We looked a little nervous at the back at times but a lot of that was down to a poor communication. But the back five are pretty new to each other and they will take time to settle in."

Chances continued to present themselves but it wasn't until three minutes from the end of normal time that the visitors made their supremacy count. And it was born from the dazzling Robbie Dale.

"I thought it was heading for a no score draw," said the Blyth boss. "Frickley's two full backs were excellent and Arron [Wearmouth] and Nipper [Daniel Maguire] were having a tough time against them. We moved Nipper in to a central position with Dale going wide right. Whereas Arron and Nipper had been trying to go outside of the left back Robbie went inside him to create his superb goal."

Dale went past several defenders just inside the 18 yard box parallel to the goal line. Moving forward, then to one side, then the other, then advancing again and repeating the moves. It was like he was playing hopscotch- but with a football at his feet.

With games against Grantham and Droylsden coming up, both of whom are below the Spartans in the Evo-Stik table, Wade is not getting carried away.

"It's always important to try to pick up points from teams below you but we haven't been going long enough to get a true position for many teams as yet," thought Wade.

Wade's tears from last season have, thankfully, dried up.

"Last year I would look at our bench and cry," he said. "We can rotate our front three and now the bench is strong too. We also have Robbie Nolan there who deserves a chance in attack."

It was Wade's team who were in full cry at Frickley and will look to take that passion in to Saturday's visit of Grantham.