Spartans lose on the road at Curzon

Curzon took the lead on 16 minutes through a deflected effort from Jamie Cooke, before Alex Curran doubled their lead on 32 minutes, and Craig Mahon struck five minutes after the break to make it 3-0.

JJ O’Donnell pulled one back for Spartans five minutes from the end, before Sado Djalo got his first for the club to set up a tense finale in added time.

Spartans had been looking to continue where they left off the previous week when they won 2-1 at home to Gateshead.

The defeat leaves Blyth 19th in the table on 18 points just one point above the second from bottom side. This Saturday (January 15) they are home to Gloucester City, who are just one point and two places above them in the division.

After the game, manager Terry Mitchell said: “It was very disappointed to lose, especially with the manner of our performance in the first half. We looked nothing like we did in previous games.

"We couldn’t find our passes and our application was poor. We gave the ball away cheaply.

"Again I would apologise to the fans. They were great, but I think everyone can see the standards we have set and that is what we have to aspire to.

"The positives to come out of the defeat are the impact made by the substitutes and the fact that we scored two goals, with Sado getting his first for the club.”

Of the Gloucester game on Saturday he said: “This is a game against a team around us in the table and we have to make sure we win. We have to be on it from minute one.”

JJ O’Donnell, who was again on the scoresheet, added: “We were nowhere near good enough in the first half. We were miles off it and we were lucky to go it at only 2-0 down.

"But we were a lot better in the second half. We rallied, but football is a game played over 90 minutes, you can’t just turn up for 45 minutes.”

Of the Gloucester game he said: “It’s a massive game. They are a team around us and we have to make sure of the win.”