Saturday 5th January 2008
Blue Square North
Hyde United 2 Blyth Spartans 4

Spartans travelled to Manchester to face high flying Hyde United who were looking to get their promotion push back on track after disappointing results over the Christmas and New Year with defeats against neighbours Stalybridge Celtic. Blyth was hoping to get their poor end to 2007 out of their system with another encouraging away performance.

With Alex Gildea and Kenny Boyle suspended, manager Harry Dunn recalled Chris McCabe and Michael Hedley for this tough Blue Square North encounter.

Spartans were under the cosh for the opening half hour. Nicky Clee broke away down the left wing before picking out Gareth Seddon whose shot was blocked by keeper Adam Bartlett.

Then after 10 minutes Matthew Tipton headed wide from a Seddon centre.

Spartans were forced to replace Peter Snowdon with striker Andy Johnson, with Robbie Dale dropping into a midfield playmaker role.

But on 33 minutes Spartans struck. Dale picking out Martin Houlahan wide on the right his pass inside to Johnson was played on into the path of the run by Chris McCabe, who calmly side footed his shot past the advancing Craig Dootson to score his 7th of the season.

Then with only 3 minutes remaining in the first half, Dale played a sublime through ball to Houlahan who ran on to round keeper Dootson to put Spartans 2 up at the interval.

The home came out for the second half looking for a quick response. And on 55 minutes they scored. Clee beat Michael Hedley for pace down the left wing and then finding Tipton to slot home.

Blyth rallied well, with Johnson testing Dootson with a curling shot. Then on 68 minutes Phil Bell opened his Spartans account. Dale finding Adrian Webster with a clever pass and his first time ball found Bell unmarked inside the area, to slide the ball home.

Bell got his second of the afternoon and Spartans 4th – ten minutes later. A quick throw out by Bartlett found Webster down the right wing, he switched play across field to Johnson, whose effort was parried by the home keeper straight into the stride of Bell who tapped the ball home from 4 yards.

Spartans could have had a 5th when Dale released substitute Richard Logan down the right side of the penalty but the youngsters effort rebounded off the upright and to safety for the be leagued home side.

The goals weren’t finished yet, with Seddon snatching a late consolation for the Tigers.

Spartans: - 1 Adam Bartlett, 2 Ben Christensen, 3 Michael Hedley, 4 Peter Snowdon (sub Andy Johnson), 5 Richard Forster, 6 Gareth Williams, 7 Adrian Webster, 8 Chris McCabe, 9 Phil Bell (sub Richard Logan), 10 Robert Dale, 11 Martin Houlahan (sub Graham Fenton).