Relegated Spartans will aim to bounce back up, vows boss Shaw

JON Shaw wants Blyth Spartans to ‘regroup and go again’ after they suffered only the second relegation in their long and proud history on Saturday.

The Croft Park outfit went into their home game with Brackley Town knowing they had to match Farsley Celtic’s result in their meeting with Buxton to preserve their National League North status.

But in reality, the game was over inside the opening half-hour as braces from Morgan Roberts and Danny Newton gave the visitors a four-goal lead by the time the halftime whistle was blown.

Nicky Deverdics reduced the arrears with a penalty but Dan Turner reinstated Brackley’s fourgoal advantage with just under 15 minutes remaining.

However, Spartans fate had already been sealed by Farsley’s comfortable home win against Buxton and that left Shaw to ponder what was required as his side prepare for life in the Northern Premier League. He told The Chronicle: “We need to regroup and go again, and try to get back to this level.

“Today, as an isolated incident obviously (it went wrong) at the start of the game. As the season’s gone on, we’ve failed at the start of games and today was a tough one as we’re playing against a very physical, very experienced National League North side who are where they are in the league for a reason.

“We’ve had an inexperienced squad, and our depth has been tested heavily with injuries which has been backed up by young players, this level is very unforgiving.

“The lads have given it their everything, whether they have been struggling at times mentally or physically being able to do it week in, week out and find that level of consistency.”

There was disappointment for South Shields and Spennymoor Town as they narrowly missed out on a place in the National League North play-offs.

The Mariners strolled to a 3-0 home win against Southport thanks to goals from Jordan Hunter, Paul Blackett and Aaron Martin and Spennymoor won by the same scoreline against King’s Lynn Town as Will Harris, Glen Taylor and Rob Ramshaw all found the net.

But Boston United’s 2-0 win at Hereford ensured the Pilgrims snatched a top seven place and left both North East clubs sat just outside the play-off spots on a dramatic final day of the season.

Darlington’s job had already been completed ahead of Saturday’s goalless draw at Chester after the Quakers secured their National League North status seven days earlier. ■ HEATON Stannington manager Dean Nicholson hailed his players after they secured an Ebac Northern League Division One play-off place with a goalless draw at top-five rivals Guisborough Town.

Nicholson’s side became the first in the Stan’s history to secure a play-off spot in the Northern League’s top tier.

He told The Chronicle: “I said after the game we have hit our first goal and now we want to achieve a home tie.

“We said can we better last year, which we have but I didn’t expect a play-off place. To do this is huge and whatever happens now is a bonus because they’ve all earned the right to be there.”