27th November Harry - Marine Review

Spartans Manager Harry Dunn was in an ebullient mood following his side’s excellent away win at Marine.

“It was thoroughly deserved” he said. “We were comfortable on the ball and defended well and I thought the overall standard of our play was very good. Even their officials said we were the best team they’ve played there this season. Marine didn’t have a shot on goal in the game whereas we played as a team and while everyone did well. Christian Graham had a particularly effective time as part of a mid-field which we set up to allow him to go forward.

“On top of that Scott Bell was really unlucky not to get on the score sheet with efforts which brought a good save from the home keeper and a second which narrowly passed the post. “On top of everything our support was brilliant – it was like a home game for us.”

Speaking on Sunday Dunn was clear about his ideal opponents in the First Round Proper of the Trophy.

“If we got a home draw I’d go for Kettering – welcoming Gazza to Croft Park would be quite something! On the other hand if it was an away tie Scarborough would be my wish, after all the successful times I had there as a player in the Trophy.”

The Spartans next game is at home to Lincoln in the League on Saturday and the Blyth boss was already looking forward to it.
“I’ll be speaking to people this week about them but I already know something of their Ben Dixon who I had with me at Whitby. But, these days, I’m not particularly worried about opponents – unlike last season when I was worried about everybody!

“It’s a measure of how far we’ve come that my attitude has changed and how we have good players on the pitch as well as on the bench. The added bonus is how well they all get on together.”

Currently lying eight in the Unibond Premier League with several games in hand over many teams above them Blyth look to be in a good position at this stage of the season.

“On Saturday I agreed with Marine’s boss that seven or eight teams could be Champions bit I would rather have, say, seven points on the board than have three games in hand. It’s up to us to make the games in hand count.”

Turning to the health of the squad Dunn is hopeful of keeping defender Neil Wilkinson at Croft Park for another month’s loan from Hartlepool while he expects to have midfielder Graham Fenton available soon following his missing the trip to Marine due to illness