NO SWEAT AS SPARTANS ROLL ON MOORS GIVE SPORTS MAULING
BLYTH Spartans’ promotion juggernaut shows no signs of coming off the rails, with struggling Skelmersdale the latest to feel the force of the leaders.
League win No25 was a routine affair against a Skem side in freefall and all but mathematically relegated.
Blyth cruelly missed out in the play-offs last season and are determined to go up automatically and avoid the end of season jamboree.
They are ten points clear at the top of the table after Dan Maguire (2), Jordan Watson and Luke Armstrong scored the goals to record yet another league double.
For rock-bottom Skelmersdale it was a 13th defeat from 14 games in 2017, but Spartans have bigger fish to fry on Tuesday at second-top Nantwich.
Spartans assistant manager Darren Holloway said: “It was a really good result for us. We changed things slightly with personnel and the lads who have come in showed real quality.
“It is another good result and keeps our momentum going ahead of a big game
against Nantwich in midweek.
“We never really looked in any danger, we missed quite a few good opportunities and it took a little bit longer than we expected before we took the lead.
“The lads performed at a decent level without ever really exceeding that level in their performance – hopefully they’ve kept a little back for Tuesday.”
The home side dominated the early exchanges but were unable to find the opener, while Skelmersdale’s first effort did not arrive until the 34th minute, Seb Bradshaw forcing Paul Woolston into action.
Blyth are also homing in on a century of goals, but had to wait until the 36th minute before finally breaking the deadlock at Croft Park, the prolific Maguire slotting home from Armstrong’s drilled cross.
And the Spartans’ leading goalscorer took his tally to 32 goals this season when he tapped home a second just three minutes later, with Armstrong once again providing the assist.
Spartans stretched their lead midway through the second half with defender Watson grabbing their third with a powerful back post header.
Armstrong then scored a goal that his superb all-round performance deserved to complete the scoring three minutes from time as Reid unselfishly supplied the young striker who confidently finished past Joe Hilton.