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Saturday 20th November - Blyth Spartans 1-1 Frickley Athletic

After going behind to a well worked Andy Appleby goal on 54 minutes the Blues earned a deserved point when Matt Moran seized on a poor defensive header to equalise with 15 minutes left to play. 

With Dean Foley suspended and Simon Collins missing through illness Gary Marrow was forced into making changes. Calum Selby moved inside to form a 3-man defence with Steve Robinson moving to left wing-back and Adam Oldham playing as right wing-back. Neil Ashley made his debut in midfield whilst Matt Moran partnered Richard Tracey up front.

Blyth started the mach very much on the offensive and enjoyed much the better of the opening 15 minutes and twice they went close to opening the scoring in the first 5 minutes. Firstly, Gary Ingham could only weakly punch clear a high cross from the left, with the ball falling kindly to Applenby in the box but he scuffed his snap-shot and Steve Kennedy cleared the danger. Seconds later Ingham missed another high ball from the left and the ball was played across the box to Steve Preen but Ingham recovered well to save the striker's low shot. As the Blues started to come more into the game Richard Tracey earned a corner, which was partly cleared to Lee Pugh. Pugh immediately cut in from the right and fired in a dipping 22 yard shot which beat goalkeeper Craig Turns but came back off the crossbar. It was now the Blues' turn to have a few chances. After 20 minutes Moran took the ball off Anthony Lowther down the right and cut inside before cleverly playing the ball between two defenders and into the path of Ashley, who had made a great run into the box. However, rather than shooting first time Ashley tried to turn back onto his right foot but was dispossessed by Andy Leeson. A minute later Selby's long ball towards the run of Tracey was headed back by Lowther but only as far as Moran who controlled the ball before firing in a low 20 yard shot which Turns saved comfortably. At the other end Preen managed to get half a yard on Kennedy but his angled 18 yard shot flew across the face of goal.

The second half started in much the same way as the first, although Robinson went close for the Blues when Selby's free-kick from half way fell to him but his 20 yard shot went just wide of the left hand post. On 49 minutes Blyth's free-kick from half way was headed on to Appleby but, with the goal at his mercy, Ingham spread himself well to block with his legs and the loose ball was put behind for a corner. When the kick came over it was flicked on to Appleby whose point blank header was caught on the line by Ingham. On 52 minutes a quick break by Pugh saw him feed Moran down the right and he sent over a great cross which Tracey threw himself at at the far post but he just failed to connect. Two minutes later the home side took the lead. Oldham was beaten down the right by Wayne Phillips who sent over a good cross which was knocked in at the far post by Appleby. Gary Marrow brought on Adam Russell and Paul Bradley and reverted to a flat back four, with Robinson moving to his customary right back position and Selby moving to left-back and Moran switching to left midfield. The Blues now started to take the game to Blyth. Ashley sent Moran down the left  and he sent over a dangerous cross which somehow evaded everyone in the box. However, the Blues got their reward on 75 minutes when Pugh's long ball towards Moran saw Stephen Harrison make a mess of his headed clearance which was immediately seized on by MORAN who beat Turns at his near post from 10 yards. Three minutes later Moran robbed Lowther and cut inside but his angled shot was saved on the line. Blyth had the last chance of the game on 85 minutes when substitute Martin Peace found himself in space just inside the Blues' box but he shot well wide.