Spartans champing at bit for return to action after three-week enforced lay-off

PROMOTION-CHASING Blyth Spartans are desperate to return to action after they suffered another postponement at the weekend.

Spartans’ top-six clash at leaders Salford City fell foul of the weather, overnight rain rendering the Moor Lane pitch waterlogged.

It was a blow for Blyth manager Alun Armstrong (pictured right), whose side will have been idle for three weeks by the time they play Curzon Ashton on Saturday.

It’s the first of three consecutive games, two of which are at Croft Park, against bottom six sides.

Armstrong sai: “I would rather be playing mid-table teams or ones that, like us, are fighting for promotion, than sides battling the drop. They are more difficult games than they appear on paper and Curzon Ashton and Telford will be scrapping for their lives.

“But we just want to play games. The players are champing at the bit, fully refreshed and raring to go.

“We were ready for the test at Salford and I was confident we could get something, so was disappointed to learn it was off.” Maguire put his squad through their paces on the 3G training facilities at Croft Park on Saturday instead. “It’s not ideal training and not playing. “We’re keeping the lads ticking over and the risk now is that we may be a bit rusty on Saturday.”

Curzon Ashton lost 1-0 at Darlington at the weekend, Dave Syers with a 88th-minute header grabbing victory for the Quakers, and they will hope for better on their return to the North East.

Armstrong, meanwhile, will look to expend Gateshead striker Macaulay Langstaff’s loan spell, which expired on Saturday, at Blyth.