Blyth Spartans  v  Tamworth

Sat 21 Oct - 15:00 National League North

Blyth Spartans

0-1

Tamworth

Match Report

Despite the torrential rain over the past 24 hours or so that washed over the Midlands and the North East of the country, which threatened to disrupt things The Lambs returned to Vanarama National League North action with the longest trip of the season and a first visit to, an occasionally sunny, relatively dry and quite breezy Croft Park since 2017-2018 when Tamworth were last in the (then) National North looking to bounce back after the narrow 0-1 FA Cup away defeat seven days previously.
Andy Peaks made one change to the eleven that started at Curzon Ashton, with Dempsey Arlott-John replacing the suspended Luke Fairlamb on the left wing and striker Dan Creaney was still unavailable for selection.

Spartans got the game underway with Tamworth attacking the F. Southern Stand in the first half and the home side went on the attack immediately but a right sided cross was headed away by Cullinane-Liburd. And the same player then launched a long throw into the box allowing The Lambs to build their own pressure but the ball made it’s way back to Singh, bedecked in his red keeper’s kit, via Curley.
At the other end, Mitchell was forced to deal with a Jellis ball into the area on 6 and Finn’s cross back into the box was inches away from Tshikuna from connecting.
Jellis picked up a yellow card for a foul in the centre circle on 7 .and Main was spoken to after a similar foul in a similar position on Cullinane-Liburd on 12 as both sides battled for possession and to keep it.
Spartans enjoyed an attacking move on 18 working the ball out of midfield to O’Donnell on the edge of the box and then back to Hickey, but his shot was blocked and cleared as the home crowd rose in volume urging a strike on target which ultimately didn’t come.
Curley and Milnes combined with a neat 1-2 past the covering defender in the right channel on 21 to get into the box but Curley’s low cross was blocked and put out for Cullinane-Liburd to try a long throw and it came off the boot of Tshikuna before being shepherded back to Micthell.
But Blyth turned the screw once again and it was only when a low through ball from McGowan on 24 was too quick for Deverdics that the game slowed it’s pace and allowed the players to get a drink while Willets had attention to an earlier knock.
Deacon then needed treatment on the field, and off it as a Cullinane-Liburd throw caused problems, and The Lambs continued to press, loading the box with crosses and low balls but the hosts were equal to any threat that came their way.
Main was booked for a challenge on Cullinane-Liburd on the halfway line on 33 and the yellow card incensed the home crowd who didn’t believe that the Lambs player had been fouled at all and the reaction of the Blyth boss, former Aston Villa and Spartans striker, Graham Fenton earned him a red card from the dugout.
The first real shot of the game came from McGowan in the next move, but his long range effort was easy for Singh to grasp.
Jellis saw his shot from 18 yards deflected out for a corner on 39 and Blyth scrambled a ball destined for Deacon away before he could get a boot to it and then Arlott-John whipped a shot into the danger area on 42 which Mitchell was able to drop and parry before Deacon could pounce.
And then Deacon rolled a shot goalward from the left of the box and it took a slight touch to take it out past the far post for a corner on the right but the forward momentum halted when Jellis was penalised for a push in the area as the clock ticked into added time at the end of the half.
Four minutes added time was shown, and Arlott-John couldn’t break through down the left and Deacon found himself with three defenders around him on the right in the last action of the goalless first 45.

HT 0-0

The home side made one change before The Lambs restarted the match at 16:08 and Finn crossed into the box from the right but Arlott-John was unable to get his head or boot to the dropping target and Deacon’s prod through looking for Finn on 47 was tapped away for Mitchell to clear before Spartans took play to the other end and forced corner on the right which Singh took at full stretch.
Blyth threatened again though, on 50 when a deep cross was headed on by Shaw and Willets got in the way to give the home side a corner on the left and Singh was able to punch it away.
Finn’s cross into the area on 52 dropped over Deacon and Jellis’ shot was on target but easy for Mitchell in the next foray and Willets and Jellis were unable to capitalise on the loose ball from Cullinane-Liburd’s throw on 55.
As Blyth’s Evans chased the ball over the half way line on 56, Arlott-John put himself in the way and picked up a booking for the block which prevented a home attack from building.
The Lambs turned this into attack themselves, but were almost always frustrated by Spartans bodies in the way of floated crosses or low passing moves into the area.
Jellis came incredibly close to breaking the deadlock on 61 with a right footed swept shot from 20 yards after a dummy by Tshikuna set him up, but it bounced on the 6 yard line and went out past the left hand upright.
Another foul by Arlott-John, on Evans again, did not bring a card on 63, but gave Blyth the deadball and before it could be taken Williams replaced the Lambs man.
A second set of fresh legs came on with 19 remaining, as Miekle came on and he was involved in the next move which ended with Williams trying a shot from the left of the box which went high and wide of the mark.
Jones then replaced Deacon for the remainder of the game.
Another good chance for Jellis presented itself on 76 but he couldn’t direct his downward header from Curley’s cross from the right on target and Micthell escaped and watched it bounce a yard wide to his right.
The Lambs worked on another attack on 80 but Williams couldn’t get his far post header down and on target and then Milnes unleashed a power driver from 30 yards and it was all Mitchell could do to punch it away for a corner.
Cockerill-Mollett’s header from the flagkick was on target but Mitchel tipped it over the bar and when Milnes picked up the ball from the half clearance, his curling shot towards the top right corner was plucked out of the area by the keeper.
Spartans Hickey was booked for a challenge on Milnes on 83 and despite the ball bouncing around the box the offside flag prevented anything coming from the move although Williams forced a corner on the left and Willets got his head to it under pressure but didn’t test Mitchell.
Miekle tried a long range effort on 88 but it failed to cause Micthell any headaches, and at the other end Cullinane-Liburd stepped on the gas to get behind substitute Aitken and prevent him from getting onto the long pass forwards.
Six minutes added time was shown and The Lambs continued to enjoy the majority of possession, forcing another corner on 94 which dropped inside the near post and Jellis ducked under pressure in the crowded area to head home in front of the small band of travelling faithful! (0-1, 94 mins)
Tamworth got the ball back and played keep ball in the corner with Jellis and Williams protecting the prize, and a long pass from the home side in one hopeful final effort came to nothing as the final whistle blew with the clock ticking over to 98 minutes and what would be an enjoyable 200 odd mile journey home.

Blyth Spartans:
Mitchell, Evans, Clark, Cousin-Dawson, Bodenham, Hickey (Forbes 85), O’Donnell, Deverdics (c.), Shaw (Aitken 60), Main (Arnison HT), McGowan
Subs: Oliver, Hogan
YC: Hickey 83

Tamworth:
Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Finn, Milnes (c.), Deacon (Jones 73), Willets, Cullinane-Liburd, Tshikuna (Meikle 71), Jellis, Arlott-John (Williams 64)
Subs: Gascoigne, Reilly
YC: Jellis 7, Arlott-John 56

Att: 608

Referee: Mr. Alex Sawden
Assistant Referees: Mr. S. Beresford, Mr. C. Scott