Struggling Blyth fail to make most of home advantage in midweek defeat

Action from Blyth Spartans' win at Leamington on Saturday. Picture by PAUL SCOTT

After last weekend’s battling win at Leamington, lowly Blyth then failed to make the most of home advantage on Tuesday, when they went down 2-1 to Chorley at Croft Park.

Cedric Main had put Blyth ahead in the 27th minute, when he fired in from the edge of the box, but Willem Tomlinson levelled for the visitors a minute before half-time.

Visiting substitute Jack Sampson then netted what proved to be the winner for Chorley in the 76th minute.

Graham Fenton had made three changes to his Spartans side that won at Leamington, with Saturday’s impressive debutants Finn Cousin-Dawson and Michael Spellman keeping their places in the side.

Chorley were first to test a keeper, with Alex Mitchell brilliantly getting a hand to an Ollie Shenton half-volley in the 10th minute. Adam Blakeman then threatened 10 minutes later, as the visitors applied the pressure, but the Magpies’ captain curled his effort wide.

After looking second-best for most of the first 20 minutes, Spartans created a few chances of their own. Troy Chiabi slipped a brilliant pass in behind the host’s defence, only for Main’s shot to be blocked, and when the ball fell to Will McGowan, he was also thwarted.

But the South Shields loanee was soon involved again as he carved open the Chorley defence with a brilliant through ball that found Main, who cut inside and rolled a fine finish into the bottom corner.

Chorley equalised on the stroke of half-time as Tomlinson picked the ball up 25 yards out and curled an effort into the far corner that left Mitchell rooted to the spot to ensure the sides when in level at the break.

Blyth enjoyed a period of pressure in the second-half, but it was the visitors who took the lead when Jack Sampson was on hand to tap in a low cross.

It was harsh on Spartans, and although they were handed a boost on 84 minutes when Chorley’s Mike Calveley – in his 100th game for the club – picked up a second yellow for simulation, Blyth could not break through the visitors’ defence in the closing stages.