Solid Spartans frustrate Rebels

In association with:

ALAN McLEAN FCMA CGMA
Chartered Management Accountant

FC United of Manchester 0-0 Blyth Spartans
Tuesday 28th October
Attendance: 1,370
Evo-Stik Northern Premier League

A run of five consecutive defeats against FC United of Manchester was finally ended by Spartans as a brave display saw them take a point from the Rebels. It was the home side's Matthew Wolfenden who came closest to grabbing the points as his twenty yard curler smashed the Spartans crossbar but the deadlock remained unbroken and Tom Wade's side made it one defeat in eleven games in all competitions.

There were five changes in total for Spartans after the FA Cup heroics at Leek Town on Saturday. With Robbie Dale rested and Dan Maguire amongst the substitutes Jonathyn Quinn and Arran Wearmouth came in. Nathan Buddle returned for Danny Parker at centre back and captained the side whilst Joel Dixon started the game in midfield alongside Stephen Turnbull and Matthew Wade.

The hosts started the brighter and their first chance came on twelve minutes. A hopeful clearance from Chris Lynch released Matthew Wolfenden down the left. From a narrow angle the winger tried an audacious chip that landed on to the roof of the net. A half chance perhaps but one that nearly brought a wonderful first goal to the proceedings.

The hosts were dominating possession and there was a real let off for Spartans midway through the half. Wolfenden was once again at the heart of everything good that the Rebels were producing and he released Mike Norton in on goal with a sublime slide rule pass. The usually prolific Norton has been the skirge of Spartans in the past but he drags his shot wide of the far post.

Spartan first chance came just after the half hour mark as a foul on Alex Nicholson saw referee Paul Hodskinson award a free kick twenty five yards from goal. Stephen Turnbull stepped up to take it and curled his shot just over the crossbar.

Six minutes before the break there was a long stoppage in play for a nasty looking injury to Rebels striker Norton. A ball over the top saw Norton and Spartans keeper Jeffries challenge for the ball. The Reds striker came off worse and he was stretchered off and taken to hospital with referee Hodskinson deeming Jeffries challenge to be fair, a decision that incurred the wrath of the home fans. Sadly that wrath overspilled into some rather unsavoury and unnecessary chants aimed at the Spartans number one.

On the stroke of half time there was almost an opener for Spartans. Turnbull found some space on the edge of the Rebels area and played the ball out to the left to Jordan Watson. He fizzed a cross to the far post that Jarrett Rivers just failed to make contact with so the teams went into the interval with the deadlock unbroken.

There was a half time change for Spartans as Neal Hooks replaced Turnbull in midfield. Just as in the first half it was the hosts who started on top and they came within a whisker of taking the lead on fifty two minutes. The ever impressive Liam Brownhill curled an inviting cross into the Spartan area but his fellow full back Scott Cheetham failed to make sufficient contact at the ball sailed wide of the far post.

Cheetham collided with the post and after another stoppage he was replaced by Jerome Wright, a player who made his 300th appearance for the Rebels at Rushall Olympic on Saturday.

Just after the hour mark Spartans were grateful to the woodwork as Matthew Wolfenden curled a wonderful right foot effort that seemed destined for the top right hand corner of Jeffries net. However the Rebels winger was left disappointed as his shot smashed the crossbar and the loose ball was scrambled to safety.

The hosts were dominating possession once again but without really threatening Jeffries in the Spartans goal and apart from an Alex Nicholson cross that saw Chris Lynch almost put the ball into his own net there was little to talk of in the way of chances for Spartans.

The home side got more desperate as the clock ticked on and were increasingly direct in their play, something that seemed to suit Spartans as Nathan Buddle and Ryan Hutchinson cleared time after time. The final chance of the game came on eighty nine minutes as former Liverpool academy product Craig Lindfield curled a free kick in from the right that Luke Ashworth could only head wide of the far post.

With that miss went the home side's chances of taking the points and as the official blew the full time whistle Spartans could reflect on a job well done. A first point from the Rebels has been a long time coming and the bravery and commitment - not to mention team spirit - that Tom Wade's side showed meant the point was more than deserved.

Teams

FC United of Manchester:

Carnell, Brownhill, Cheetham (Wright 55), Lacy, Lynch, Ashworth, Wolfenden, Birch, Norton (Daniels 38), Lindfield, Fox (Kay 65)

Subs:

Greaves, Byrne

Spartans:

Jeffries, Nicholson, Watson, Buddle, Hutchinson, Rivers, Dixon, Turnbull (Hooks 45), Quinn (Maguire 83), Wade, Wearmouth

Subs:

Perez, Bell, Parker

Referee: Paul Hodskinson