Despite growing into the game and creating numerous chances, Spartans were undone by a resilient Hebburn side who held firm and earned their victory.
Bond began the game in between the sticks, with Oliver at right back and new signing Joel Holvey at left back, while Pani and Milburn resumed their roles at centre back. Donaldson, Woods and Deverdics began in the centre of midfield, with Gomes and Cornet on the flanks and Mitch Curry up top.
The away side almost got off to the perfect start, with Amar Purewal being played in and getting behind the Spartans defence in the opening minute of the game, but his shot went over the bar.
Midfielder Liam Murray went close a minute later after finding some space on the edge of the box. But his shot was saved by Bond. Olly Martin then broke down the left flank and whipped a good ball into the box, but Purewal’s effort was saved by Bond.
Hebburn’s early and relentless pressure continued, with Olly Martin and Robbie Spence both going close with efforts just moments afterwards.
18 mins in and Purewal was in behind the defence again, latching onto a ball that was played in over the top but he miss hit the finish and it went passed the post.
Spartans began to pass the ball around, retain possession and looked like they might start to trouble Kieran Hunter in the Hebburn goal, but it was The Hornets who had the next big chance, with a ball played into Murray, who’s shot was blocked and Joe Posthill couldn’t quite make the most of the rebound as Bond saved well.
The momentum had began to swing in Spartans favour now though. with Spartans forward line really beginning to trouble the away side. Storey had been brought on to replace Cornet who had a knock, and he began to cause The Hornets some real problems down their left flank.
Joao Gomes was doing the same on the side of the pitch, with him cutting inside the box and curling a shot just past the post into the side netting. Moments later he dragged the ball past two defenders and put a cross into the box that was deflected out into the path of Donaldson, but his shot flew past the post.
Spartans began the second half on the front foot, and it looked like it would only be a matter of time until Blyth took the lead.
5 minutes into the half, Dev’s swung in a free kick from 35 yards out that met the head of Ben Milburn, but his header flashed across the face of the goal and out for a goal kick.
Curry went close next after being played in by Gomes. He controlled it well and took drove the ball inti the box from a wide angle, but his shot fizzled past the post.
Dan Savage was then brought on, and almost made an immediate impact. Michael Woods played a perfect pass into the path of the onrushing Savage, but he hit his shot first time and it was saved by Hunter.
Blyth nearly opened the scoring 65 minutes in, with some good play down the left from Gomes forcing Hunter into making a great fingertip save, with the ball falling into the path of Mitch Curry who stabbed home, but his effort was ruled out for offside – which in fairness, it was.
The away side were hanging on at this point, but they were still capable of creating chances. Heywood hoyed in a cross from the flank for new signing Bailey Adamson, who fired a headed effort at goal but Bond pulled off a great save to keep the score level.
The deadlock would finally be broken moments later though, with Leo Robinson unleashing a shot at goal that was deflected off the leg of Connor Pani and past Bond into the back of the net.
That goal killed Spartans momentum for a brief spell, with the game becoming a bit more of an even battle in the midfield. Blyth did regain control of the game later on though, and almost had a penalty when Gomes played a ball into the box that appeared to hit the arm/shoulder of a defender, however the referee wasn’t interested.
Hebburn were defending well, with plenty of players behind the ball. The Blyth midfield tried to play several through balls along the deck into the forwards, but they were often blocked and booted away.
Spartans were still capable of getting shots away at goal though, with Woods unleashing an effort from 30 yards out that went over the bar.
As the 90th minute mark approached, Storey and Savage and Gomes ran at the Hebburn defence trying to find space for a shot at goal, but the away side’s defence was so compact it made doing so very difficult.
In the final throws of the game though, Gomes once again broke down the left wing, cut in and curled a shot at goal, but it curled around the post and out for a goal kick.
Out of time and out of chances, the final whistle blew and Hebburn picked up the 3 points.
Given the chances Hebburn created in the first half and how well they defended later in the game, it’s probably fair to say they deserved the win. Though if it ended in a draw or had Spartans managed to snatch a win, it certainly wouldn’t have been a robbery.
While it took us a while to get up to speed in the game, when we did, Nobby’s side played some very attractive football, comfortably passed the ball around and created some decent chances. Once again as well, the work rate was top notch.
With a few more weeks of training and some more games together, some chemistry and cohesion will be hopefully be generated, and we should hopefully begin to really cause teams some problems and rack up a few goals. Arguably this should have been in the latter weeks of the pre-season campaign, but I suppose it’s a case of better late than never?
In terms of the attendance, it was nice to see we had a canny crowd, topping the 800 mark. Admittedly it certainly didn’t seem like there was anymore than 700 in the ground but, we’ll take it for sure.
On top of that, the atmosphere was really positive last night on the terraces. The Spartans faithful were firmly behind the side, even when we went 1-0 down. Clearly people recognise that this is a young side that’s still finding its feet, and need all the encouragement and support we can give them.
It was also good to see plenty of old faces about the place last night, including Fents, Old Bob, Crissy Lee and a returning Fred Wyres!
Focus now turns to Saturday and Lancaster City though, who have thus far beaten Basford United and drawn with Workington. A decent test again, but with the momentum this team seems to be building at present, a welcome and much needed win could be on the way.
#HowayBlyth