Blue Square conference North

Sep 1 2008 The Journal

Blyth Spartans 3, Hucknall Town 0

BLYTH Spartans just can not stop scoring at Croft Park and they made it nine from three games in Saturday’s Blue Square North contest, all the goals coming within the opening 22 minutes of the second half.

Gareth Williams almost opened the scoring early on, but Hucknall keeper James Lindley made an excellent save, turning a trademark free-kick around the post.

Blyth keeper Mark Bell had to make some good saves, but Harry Dunn’s side dominated the second period. It took a penalty by Robbie Dale to break the deadlock. Lindley brought down the striker and Dale picked himself up before firing home from the spot.

Blyth went two up when a through-ball from Simon Todd was played first time by Ged Dalton into the feet of Dale and for the second time within a few minutes he made no mistake.

It was all over for Hucknall 22 minutes from the end when skipper Williams added his name to the score sheet in the third successive home game.

Spartans were awarded a free kick 30 yards out and Williams delivered a perfect drive into the top corner of the net leaving Lindley helpless.

BLYTH SPARTANS: Mark Bell, Leeson, Brown, Williams, Pell, Todd, Dalton, McCabe, Dale, Hume, Wright. Subs (not used): Snowden, Poole, Martin Smith, Boyle, Philip Bell.

Goals: Dale 57 pen, 64, Williams 68.

HUCKNALL: Lindley, Cullingworth, Luke Smith, Wilson, Winder, Sucharewycz, Ward, Galloway, Ricketts, Bacon, Marlow. Subs (not used): Mitchell, Stevenson, Kettle, Smedley, Mark Smith.

Attendance: 404.

Referee: M Coy (England).

Hinckley 2, Gateshead 0

GATESHEAD never recovered from conceding two goals in the opening 28 minutes despite playing against 10 men for more than an hour at Hinckley.

Ian Bogie’s side made a poor start and following a move down the left the ball bounced around in the penalty area before Andy Gooding side-footed into the net wide of goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite for a simple goal.

Worse was to follow for the Tynesiders when they conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box. The cross was not picked up and Lee Platnauer ran in and tapped the ball into the empty net for another easy goal.

Hinckley went down to 10 men on 37 minutes with the sending off of Tom Birch for a professional foul, but although Gateshead had chances they failed to make them count.

Kris Gate, Graeme Armstrong and Craig Nelthorpe all rattled the Hinckley woodwork, leaving Gateshead to rue the two early goals they leaked and missed scoring opportunities.

HINCKLEY UTD: McKenzie, Bonner, Franklin, Lavery, Platnauer, Birch, Hall, Gooding, Gez Murphy, Taylor, Lloyd. Subs (not used): Webster, Chilton, Butcher, Kelly, Mcllwain.

Goals: Gooding 15, Platnauer 29.

GATESHEAD: Musselwhite, Baxter, Hocking, Gate, Curtis, Gates, Jones, Phillips, Philip Turnbull, Armstrong, Nelson. Subs Not Used: Southern, Harwood, Salvin, Rac, Norton.

Attendance: 479.

Referee: P Thompson (Chesterfield).