With Spartans going into the Buxton clash in surprising but sensational form, and our Derbyshire opponents struggling without a win despite some impressive summer transfer business, Saturday’s jaunt into the Peak District seemed like a great opportunity (on paper at least) to add to our points total and maintain our sublime start to the season. Alas, that would not end up being the case.
For the lads, the journey down would be an interesting one. Though, not in a good way as we spent just over 5 hours trekking down to Derbyshire, nearly 2 hours of which was spent going up and down hills and country back roads on a bus that was definitely struggling. Some of the seats also had some rather unique ‘brown stains’ on them, which made for an interesting game of ‘Is it poo or is it Chocolate?’. Thankfully the bottles of Capri made the journey somewhat bearable, though we did land very late and were therefore unable to hit up the local Spoons.
By the time we had landed the team news was out and with JJ Hooper out with a hamstring injury and JJ O’Donnell out with a concussion, it was looking like we’d be a bit light going forward. Thankfully though in the days before the Bank Holiday weekend Spartans agreed a deal with York City to bring back Cedric Main in on loan until January. Ced was thrown straight back into the line up, partnering Lewis Knight in a forward position.
In the opening exchanges it was Spartans who were trying to take control of the game forward, with plenty of runs forward from the full backs and midfield as well as a few attempted through balls, but nothing close to a clear cut chance was carved out early on. The first big chance of the game fell to Buxton, as the returning Sam Osbourne sprinted into the box ready to tap home an effort but FCD was able to get a foot in and make sure he wasn’t able to get a proper shot away.
Spartans then began to find their flow in the game, despite Lewis Knight being forced off with an injury and being replaced by Curtis Round early on. Both Main and Hickey had half chances with shots that didn’t cause the keeper any real trouble. Nicky Deverdics had a free kick from about 25-yards out which ended up falling to Elliot Forbes but his shot was a bit tame and was easily saved.
Spartans were still unable to create a clear cut chance at goal and before long, Buxton began to push forward and eventually went 1-0 after Smart’s effort at goal was parried down by Mitchell and Osbourne was able to swoop in and tap home. It was 2-0 almost straight after, as Osbourne was on hand to tap home again from about 9 yards out.
To make things worse, it was at this stage that the local charvers began to act up behind the goal. The stewards knew they were a bunch of cunts, but still tried to move us to help ‘make their lives easier’. If only they had the foresight to segregate games when they knew away fans were coming up. Thankfully though we had Parker out and about making friends with some of the locals on operation ‘love buzz’ despite Jaky spilling a drink down his arse.
In the second half Spartans were back in control once again as McGowan ended up with an early chance on goal but Dearnley pulled off a decent save. Shortly after McGowan was again at the centre of the action as he got a cross into Bod’s who headed an effort at goal that was tipped over the bar.
As the second half went on though it was clear Buxton weren’t going to throw it away and in all honesty, without Hooper or Knight we struggled a bit up top and just couldn’t control the game in the final third. As Spartans pressed forward to try and snatch a goal, Buxton broke away and made it 3-0 to wrap the game up. No denying though that Buxton deserved the victory though, we were just lacking something going forward and probably could have done a bit better with the first 2 goals we conceded.
After a ‘quick’ walk down the bank and back up again for a few crates of lager, we were off on what would hopefully be a slightly more enjoyable journey home. This wouldn’t exactly end up being the case, as before I knew it we were driving past Manchester fucking Airport, where a flight that was taking off as we drove past had already landed in Lanzarote by the time we’d gotten to the services at Leeds. On the plus side though, it had a Nando’s.
Powered by an ungodly amount of lager and Blue Raspberry Dragon Soop, we eventually got back to the North East where I ended up getting out at the Avenue Head for about 10:30pm, only 5 and a bit hours after we originally set off on the return journey from Buxton. On the walk to the terrace clurb, Liam spied the passing X7 which we jumped on (for free) for all of 20 seconds to eliminate the audacious 5 minute walk to the terrace for a few double vodka’s and some shite boxing. Safe to say the day was a draining experience, and immediately goes into my ‘top 5 worst fucking awaydays ever’. Still a good laugh though.
Come Monday, it was time to do it all again as we hosted high flying Spennymoor, who sat 2 points clear at the top of the league after defeating Bishop Stortford in the early kick off on the Saturday. Given the strength of Spenny’s squad and resources they have available to them, not to mention the lack of attacking options we had due to injury and with the team having to do a fair bit of traveling on the Saturday, everything should really have been in Spenny’s favour.
With Alex Mitchell away at a Wedding, former Newcastle United goalkeeper Dan Langley had been training with the lads in the week prior and had signed a forms to fill in for Al. Harrison Clark was drafted in to play in defence alongside FCD and Bod’s which allowed Michael Liddle and Rhys Evans to bomb up and down both wings. Forbes and Hickey would sit in the centre of midfield, allowing Dev’s and Will McGowan to both play in an attacking midfield role with both able to spread out and support the full backs where necessary, leaving Cedric Main up top as the lone striker.
If someone offered me a point before the game got underway, I’d have snatched your hand off. With Spenny finding form, well rested and the likes of Ramshaw, Taylor and Mark Anderson in the line up for Spendymore, 3 points was always going to be a massive ask.
With the catering out already pre-booked away at a festival, the lads had to once again step in help serve the scran before the game which the Spartans Clubhouse had sorted out and set up. By the end of the day the catering had made about £800 profit, which is a canny amount for a few hours takings.
Despite missing the first few moments of the game we managed to get round and catch Spartans start the brighter of the 2 sides as Forbes fed the ball the to Dev’s on the edge of the box who lifted a ball in that was headed back in by Rhys of all people, before Cedric got another header in before the ball bounced into the path of our marauding full back Michael Liddle, who slashed a shot at goal but couldn’t connect cleanly with it and Montgomery scooped up the shot. Another chance would follow shortly after with McGowan playing the ball into Dev’s on the edge of the box once again and floated yet another ball into the box which was met by the head of Cedric Main, and he fired a header at goal which cannoned off the crossbar. Spenny full back Michael Ledger was then booked for sliding tackle on Cedric Main that could have very easily been a red card.
The game was turning into a bit of a chess match in the midfield, with both teams attempting to pick passes to unlock the defences. As the half went on Spenny began became a bit more confident, and should have possibly had gone 1-0 up when Ramshaw beat FCD to a loose ball on the edge of the box and fired a powerful shot towards the roof off the net, but Langley was able to parry it down and easily collect the loose ball.
Spartans began to pile the pressure on again, looking the better side as McGowan carved out some space on the right flank to fire a cross in to Nicky Deverdics who was unmarked, but his looping header went over the bar. Moments later though Blyth had Spenny pinned down again as Main did well to hold off a defender, find a pass to Forbes who played in McGowan who scuffed his shot, which after bouncing around Rhys, Hickey and Dev’s it found the feet of McGowan again as he was brought down by Ledger. Dev’s then stepped up and coolly slotted home right before half time to make it 1-0.
Just as the second half was getting underway though Mark Anderson fell awkwardly after battling Dev’s for the ball, resulting in him being stretched off while in agony. Thankfully the update on his injury was a fairly positive one, with no break or fracture in the leg.
Blyth’s first big chance of the half came from a free kick about 20 yards out from goal, As Dev’s flicked a shot over the wall for it to bounce off the crossbar and cause a bit of a scramble with serval shots being blocked before it could be cleared away.
Spenny came close to an equaliser just after though, as Fielding’s looping cross looked like it was going to find Will Harris at the back post, but Rhys Evans managed to get a header in to flick it away. From the resulting corner the ball was swung in and before Langley could get a proper grip on the ball he was fouled by the onrushing Mbeka, which went unpunished but Spartans managed to clear their lines anyway.
A superb run from deep by Elliot Forbes saw him about 35 yards out from goal as he chipped in a superb ball to Cedric Main, who didn’t seem to get it fully under control and couldn’t convert what was a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0. Spartans had another chance though just moments later as Montgomery’s clearance only went as far as Forbes, who took the ball through the centre of the pitch, played in Will McGowan who turned Staunton inside out and chipped the ball over the shoulder of Montgomery to make it 2-0 Blyth. A truly superb move.
It could have even been 3 shortly after as Will McGowan hooked a ball back in which Cedric Main was able to rush onto, but his shot went straight into the chest of the former Gateshead keeper. Spenny nearly went up the other end and scored as some great work from them down their left flank saw a ball fly into the box which was chested down by Glen Taylor, though his half volley would graze the crossbar.
Spartans had another chance to make it 3-0 as a long ball up found Dev’s, who saw on the onrushing Cedric Main and played the ball down to him who turned his defender but couldn’t find Big Willy who was in acers of space on the other side of the box or get a shot away, as Monty was able to get an arm to it during a goalmouth scramble before Rhys cannoned a shot off one of the Spenny defenders for a corner.
Spenny’s last big chance to get a goal back came and went late on as Glen Taylor fired a header at goal which was palmed over the bar by Dan Langley. Both teams pressed forward in the later stages off the game but Blyth were more then comfortable, and easily saw off the Durham side to take all 3 points and send the the 1000+ Spartans home happy. Wey, at least as far as the Clubhouse!
A superb performance, result and turnout. A combination that doesn’t normally go together at Croft Park.
For only having 1 full days rest and going up against a team that was fairly well rested in comparison, we were truly sensational. Defensively the lads were rock solid. Harrison Clark stepped into the team with ease, looking like an established National League North centre back alongside FCD and Bod’s, who were both superb. As for Lid’s and Rhys, they practically ran a marathon on the flanks, as both lads put an incredible shift in.
If you’ve seen the highlights, you’ll have seen just how good Dev’s and Big Willy were throughout the afternoon. That being said though, they wouldn’t have been able to do so had it not been for the graft both Forbes and Hickey did in the centre of midfield. As for Langley in nets, he looked more than comfortable and his distribution was superb. He hasn’t done enough to displace Alex Mitchell, but it’ll certainly be interesting to see what happens with him in the coming weeks. With Cedric, it’s certainly fair to see he’s been thrown in at the deep end and although his ability to hold off defenders and bring others into the game is superb, he needs to be playing as either a winger or a second striker/number 10. Don’t be fooled by any of the negativity online though, he’s certainly got a big part to play this season.
Despite all that though, Hendy once again would be the highlight of my weekend.
Anyway, hope you all had a good bank holiday! Hopefully with Hooper back and possibly even JJ O’Donnell back, Saturday’s clash away at Boston should be a quality game off Football. Onto Saturday we go!
#HowayBlyth