Connor sets out Blyth Spartans target ahead of Hebburn Town clash

Michael Connor has urged Blyth Spartans to take a positive mindset into Saturday’s visit to Hebburn Town.

Just over four months have passed since the two sides met at Croft Park as a deflected Leo Robinson strike ensured the Hornets claimed a 1-0 win in their first ever away game in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. Hebburn have continued to impress in their first season in step three and could move to within a point of the play-off places if they complete a league double over Spartans and results elsewhere go their way.

By contrast, Spartans will head to South Tyneside sat at the bottom of the table and without a win in their last 12 games in all competitions. There have been some small signs of improvement from Connor’s men after they secured draws in three of their last four games and go into Saturday’s game on the back of claiming a dramatic late point against Prescot Cables thanks to a late equaliser from Sam Hodgson.

Spartans still lie ten points adrift of eighteenth placed Warrington Rylands, who sit just outside of the relegation zone ahead of the Christmas period and after failing to claim a win in his first seven games in charge of the Croft Park club, former Blyth Town manager Connor knows exactly what is needed going forwards.

He said: “It’s a derby game in this division and for us, we want our first win because it feels like it’s going on forever. We are getting closer but at times, we are being punished for mistakes. We need to go there and be positive, we need those points, we need three points, we need three points against Whitby on Boxing Day, we need three points at Morpeth after that. Every game from now on, we need three points.

“We can’t be half-hearted, there’s no ‘Mick has just come in’ or ‘the board has just come in’. Everything is positive at this club now and the board are positive, I am positive, the players need to take that on to the park what this club means because if we do that we can start hurting teams and winning games.”

Connor could hand a first start to former Hebburn winger Dean Briggs after he impressed as a substitute in last weekend’s draw with Prescot.