Report | Spartans earn first point and clean sheet of the season

BY Aaron Hindhaugh

In association with:

ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA

Chartered Management Accountant

Vanarama National League North

Saturday 17 August 2019

Bradford (Park Avenue) 0-0 Blyth Spartans

Blyth Spartans squandered several late chances to snatch all three points away to Bradford Park Avenue.

Lee Clark's men started brightly in the first and second half but could not get their first win of the season.

Spartans could have taken the lead inside
two minutes when Adam Wrightson smashed a half volley straight at Rhys Taylor
who pushed the effort away.

Bradford Park Avenue squandered a glorious
chance when Riccardo Calder found himself free in the box but miscued his
header and did not trouble Harker after five minutes.

Despite dominating possession and getting
into some good attacking positions, the home side failed to capitalise in the
first half.

Spartans had the ball in the back of the
net after half an hour through Scott Fenwick, but he came back from an offside
position to tuck the ball away.

Spartans started the brighter of the two
sides in the second half putting the home side under pressure from the off and
pressing high up the pitch.

Fenwick should have scored his first goal
for the club when Wrightson picked him out unmarked after 74 minutes, but the
striker could only glance his header narrowly wide of the goal.

Bradford PA had a chance to win it five minutes from time as Joseph Chidyausiku had a shot from six-yards out but Olly Scott slid in to make a magnificent block on the line, which would have been a certain goal.

Into added time and Robbie Dale latched
onto a through ball before cutting back onto his left but his effort was saved
by Taylor and then dale could not direct his header into the empty from
three-yards out.

Dale played upfront for the last 10 minutes and caused problems with Fenwick upfront which almost gifted Spartans all three points.

Referee: Adam Herczog

Attendance: 328