Blyth Spartans see positives from pre-season games after creditable draw and a win

Action from Blyth Spartans' draw against Hartlepool. Picture: Paul Scott/Blyth Spartans

Manager Graham Fenton was pleased with his team’s performance against the full-timers of Hartlepool, who he said he expected to be “top six in the league above us” and would have been hoping to build on that against Marske, who hung on to their Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division status by the skin of their teeth last season, finishing 16th after collecting seven points in three games.

Spartans started Tuesday’s game with a team containing Harrison Clark, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Jack Bodenham, Curtis Round, Jordan Hickey and six triallists, and the triallist keeper was soon in the action, making two good saves in the opening minutes before being beaten after 10 minutes.

An outfield triallist brought the two teams level just five minutes later.

Bodenham nearly gave Spartans the lead in the 22nd minute, the Marske keeper needing two attempts to hold his powerful shot, and they should have had the lead 10 minutes later when a triallist failed to get his head to a cross by Round.

Clark showed him how to do it a few minutes later, heading in to give Spartans a 2-1 lead.

Spartans got a third two minutes later, again scored by a triallist, to see Spartans go in at half-time 3-1 ahead.

Fenton made several changes during the second half, taking off triallists, including the keeper, to replace them with others and bringing on Jon Shaw in place of Cousin-Dawson.

Marske pulled a goal back in the 74th minute and Spartans’ substitute triallist keeper made a good save 10 minutes from time to prevent a Marske equaliser.

Spartans wrapped up the scoring with a scrappy fourth, the ball being bundled over the line by a Spartans triallist tangling with a Marske defender after Round’s effort was deflected.

Spartans’ first game of the Vanarama National League North season is at home to Gloucester City on Saturday, August 5.

New loan signing Lewis Knight didn’t feature for Spartans on Tuesday, but is expected to play tonight, when Spartans face Whitby Town.