Ball all but ties
RELENTLESS County notched up a remarkable eighth win in ten games on Saturday, with a backsto-the-wall 1-0 victory at Blyth Spartans to all-but seal fifth place in the National League North.
In a largely open affair – with hosts Blyth needing a win to keep their fading play-off hopes alive – Jimmy Ball’s stunning volley on the stroke of half-time was enough to practically secure a home tie in the playoffs; with rivals Chorley and Spennymoor requiring maximum points and a mammoth goal swing in their remaining fixtures to usurp The Hatters.
Regardless of Jim Gannon’s side’s eventual finishing position, County go into this Saturday’s clash with Darlington at Edgeley Park knowing that a place in the end-of-season shootout is secured, with only the formality of fifth place still to be finalised.
Following a vital 1-1 draw at play-off hopefuls Chorley last Tuesday evening which sealed a top seven finish for Gannon’s in-form side, Rhys Turner was ruled out for the trip to Northumberland, but leading scorer Jason Oswell consequently took his place within a 4-2-3-1 starting formation.
County began the contest with a brightness to match the glorious spring sunshine in which Croft Park bathed – although the first chances fell to the hosts, as Dan Maguire’s snapshot from the edge of the box narrowly cleared the crossbar, and midfielder Sean Reid fired well over from further out.
Around the midwaypoint of the first half, one of The Hatters’ star men in their recent resurgence in 2018, Matty Warburton was played through on goal by Paul Turnbull’s lofted long ball – but, having chipped goalkeeper Peter Jameson, saw his effort loop over and wide of the crossbar.
What the game had lacked was a shot on target at either end – until the 33rd minute, when reigning National League North Player of the Month Ball cut in from the right, and drilled a shot that Jameson turned around the near upright via the slightest of deflections.
And the Hatters, gradually increasing the tempo backed by around 600 travelling supporters, then came even closer as the returning Chris Smalley stooped to head Adam Thomas’ header onto the crossbar of the beaten Jameson.
Five minutes before half-time, County had the ball in the net after Turnbull chipped to Warburton, who fed Oswell for a shot past Jameson – only for the returning striker to be flagged offside.
But towards the end of added time, the Hatters took the lead for real. Their seventh corner of the afternoon – delivered by Adam Thomas from the right – eventually went out of play on the far side for a throw-in.
Duxbury took the throw, Oswell flicked it on, and Ball, from 15 yards out, unleashed his firsttime shot past Jameson with what turned out to be a notable last kick of the half.
Albeit, the goal didn’t arrive without controversy, as Blyth fumed that Duxbury’s throw should have been awarded to the home side; before Oswell appeared to handle the ball in his flick on to Ball for the crucial finish.
The Spartans –led by County legend Alun Armstrong and playing their third home match in four days – showed that they had reserves of energy to spare upon the resumption, as Reid shot over, before going closer with a header wide of the left post.
The hosts were interrupted in their cause by three enforced substitutions