Report | Spartans fall to agonising late defeat

BY Aaron Hindhaugh

In association with:

ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA

Chartered Management Accountant

Vanarama National League North

Wednesday, September 4 2019

Darlington 2-1 Blyth Spartans

Blyth Spartans fell to an agonizing defeat away to rivals Darlington despite taking the lead through new signing Callum Roberts.

Spartans played well for the majority of
the game but were undone by a thunderbolt of an effort from Stephen Thompson 15
minutes from time.

Blyth more than matched the home side for
90 minutes and showed signs of improvement and hope that they can get their
first win of the season sooner rather than later.

Roberts opened the scoring after 11 minutes
as he curled a shot into the bottom corner.

Adam Campbell levelled things up three
minutes later with a composed finish.

Stephen Thompson rifled one home from
20-yards to give Darlington the lead.

Blyth had a chance to open the scoring on
nine minutes when Robbie Dale played a first-time cross into the box which
picked out Scott Fenwick who saw his header fly narrowly wide from 12-yards
out.

It was a magnificent ball by Lewis Horner
which split the Darlington defence to allow Roberts to sprint onto the ball and
bend an effort past Chris Elliott.

A second ex-Newcastle United player scored
as Campbell swept home from the edge of the area leaving Mark Foden with no
chance.

Jake Orrell had to clear a Darlington
header off the line as Foden was well beaten but was saved by a last-ditch
clearance after 22 minutes.

The home side came flying out the blocks
and they almost took the lead after 47 minutes through Tyrone O'Neill but his
curling effort from the edge of the area went just wide.

A swift counter-attack by Spartans saw
Wrighton unleash Roberts who ran half the length of the pitch before seeing his
shot blocked by Louis Laing.

Wrightson got the better of Laing before
smashing a low-cross across the face of goal but a deflection took it behind
and away from Roberts who was lurking at the back post.

After being picked out by Jarrett Rivers in
the 67th minute, Campbell saw his goal-bound effort blocked bravely by Lewis
Ritson.

With 15 minutes left to play Thompson ran
onto a loose ball that ricocheted out the box and smashed it first time past
Foden before the 'keeper could even react.