Dale close to 200-goal milestone after firing Spartans to a win
ROBBIE Dale is just one strike away from 200 goals for Blyth Spartans after Saturday’s 2-0 win over struggling Ashton United.
Dale grabbed Spartans’ second of an afternoon which should have been more comfortable than the score suggests.
Second-bottom Ashton, promoted from the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League last season, were still in the game when Dale pounced.
After a goalless first half it was the Blyth talisman who provided the cross for Sean Reid to break the deadlock on 52 minutes.
Dan Maguire struck the woodwork in each half with Dale’s clincher coming in the 87th minute. A rejuvenated Blyth, now just two points from the play-offs, have won their last five games - scoring 15 goals in the process
Manager Alun Armstrong, however, is taking nothing for granted.
He said: “I am still looking over my shoulder at the other end of the table and will not get carried away.
“We are on a good run and it was a good display against Ashton.
“The only frustration was we should have scored a lot more goals. Goalkeeper Peter Jameson had very little to do and it was good to claim a clean sheet and another three points.
“We have tough games coming up but we will approach them full of confidence after recent results.”
The Spartans take a break from the league this weekend when they travel to either Guiseley or Lancaster in the FA Trophy.
Spennymoor Town made it a staggering 15 goals in two games after they hammered Alfreton Town 7-1 in Derbyshire.
Front man Glen Taylor helped himself to a hat-trick just as he had done on the Moors previous visit to the Impact Arena.
National League North leading goalscorer Taylor now has 14 league goals - three more than his nearest rival.
It was Alfreton’s record home defeat, Stephen Brogan, Jamie Chandler, Shaun Tuton and Andrew Johnson all finding the net.
Spennymoor had been three up before Reds’ former Gateshead and Darlington striker Reece Styche pulled a goal back.
Conditions were monsoon-ike at times with parts of the pitch waterlogged before the final whistle put Alfreton out of their misery.