31-01-23. Match report Vs Blyth Spartans

Harriers make it three in a row

Report: Phil Lench

The Harriers made it three wins in a row in the league tonight against a Blyth Spartans side that looked better than their lowly place in the relegation zone suggested. Two goals from Amari Morgan-Smith and one from Tom Owen-Evans was enough to give us the three points. Matthew Dopsons equaliser for Blyth, just before the break, was a well taken goal but not enough for them by the end of the evening.

We started the game with one change from the the side that beat Peterborough Sports on Saturday with Jack Bearne returning in place of Joe McGlynn. Joe went to the bench alongside Tom Leak who has returned from a loan spell at Alfreton Town in which he failed to make a single appearance. There was no Ben Margetson on the bench as we learned later on that he had left the club for Pontypridd Utd.

As is usual with us the game got underway at breakneck speed and we could have scored three times in the opening few minutes when Alex Penny, Kai Lissimore and Bearne all tried their luck. Blyth were defending for their lives and it began to get harder to get a shot in until just under fifteen minutes when a corner was almost put away by Nathaniel Knight-Percival but blocked on the line by Will McGowan.

Bearne then broke through and his shot was parried by the Spartans keeper Alex Mitchell but only back to Jack who then dragged his shot wide. Blyth then had their first real chance of the game when McGowan was fouled on the edge of the area but the free kick, taken by himself, was sent way over the bar.

Just after the half hour mark and we finally got the goal we were looking for. A well placed lob to the feet of Ashley Hemmings saw his break for the byeline closely marked by a defender. He managed to make enough space for himself and then sent in a low cross into the area for Morgan-Smith to divert into the back of the net.

AMS could have grabbed a second soon after when Owen-Evans played him in with a rolled ball to his feet but he could only send his shot over the bar.

With halftime approaching we began to get a little too casual and gave Blyth far too much space in front of goal. Curtis Round played a through ball onto the head of Sam Hodgson but NKP cleared it away too weakly to Dopson who, taking a step, struck the ball into the net leaving Tom Palmer diving at nothing.

HT: 1 – 1

We should have come out for the second period with a talking too still ringing in the players ears but it was Blyth that started the stronger. At first we couldn’t get the ball off them and were chasing shadows but luckily for us they did nothing with the possession that they had. It wasn’t long before we regained the upperhand and with it regained the lead.

We were given a free kick from some way out and Shane Byrne stepped up to take it. He sent his kick into the area towards the far post and there was AMS to sweep the ball home for his second goal of the evening. 

We had a corner on the right that Byrne took. This time when he sent it in NKP was there to force Mitchell into a save as the keeper tipped it over for another corner. The second came to nothing but five minutes later and it was 3-1.

Another attack got underway and this time TOE, with the ball at his feet, surged forwards with AMS alongside him. Would he be generous and give Amari the chance to get his hat trick or would he go by himself and get his first goal for us? He went for the latter and carried on forward until he saw the white of the keepers eyes then slipped the ball beyond him to open his account for us.

With the game looking to be safe we began to make some substitutions. Keziah Martin came on for Owen-Evans and then Joe McGlynn came on for Jack Bearne. In between that Spartans almost pulled a goal back when Dan Barlow sent a ball in for Cedric Main, on earlier for Troy Chiabi, to head goalwards but Palmer just managed to get to it and cleared it over the bar. If they had scored it probably wouldn’t have been allowed as the referee then awarded us a free kick.

McGlynns fifteen minutes of game time saw him trying to get his first goal for the club with him chasing every ball down whenever he had the chance. The closest he came was three minutes from time when his shot was saved by Mitchell. That was the last of the action and with the three points under the belt we can now look forward to, maybe, tougher opposition when Scarborough Athletic come to town on Saturday. 

That game should be a good indication of how much we’ve improved in recent weeks after months of mediocrity. 

FT: 3 – 1

Goals for Harriers: Morgan-Smith 33, 52 Owen-Evans 57

Goal for Blyth Spartans: Dopson 41

The Harriers Online MotM is: Kai Lissimore

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Palmer
Penny
McNally
Knight-Percival
Pearce
Byrne
Owen-Evans			67
Lissimore
Morgan-Smith			92
Hemmings
Bearne			75
Subs:
Dibble
Leak
Martin			67
Freemantle			92
McGlynn			75
Blyth Spartans	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Mitchell
Round
Dopson
Elsdon
Lees
McGowan
Hickey			73
Hodgson			81
Chiabi			56
Pani
Barlow
Subs:
Liddle
Walker			81
Main			56
Cornish
Bartlett			73
Referee:
Mr Neil Pratt
Cheltenham