Gingerbreads Go Close At Blyth

Blyth win by single goal after battling display from Gingerbreads

Problems with the team coach resulted in the team not arriving at Blyth until 20 past 2 and despite the match referee and Blyth agreeing to a 10 minute delay in the kick off the team’s preparations were hardly ideal especially against the league leaders.
With Jake Turner available again he came back into goal and Lee Shaw started with both Richard Dearle and Alex Simmons dropping to the bench
With a biting wind blowing across the pitch Grantham began brightly with Lee Shaw bringing an early save from Blyth’s keeper Adam McHugh. Michael Hollingsworth had a shot blocked before Blyth got their first effort on target on 11 minutes with Jake Turner easily dealing with a shot from Neal Hooks. The game became stop start with the referee awarding a free kick for almost every challenge. Grantham were pressing high up the pitch and on 17 minutes Jamie McGhee saw his shot from 25 yards go wide. Blyth got what turned out to be the only goal of the game on 22 minutes. Arran Wearmouth got the better of Ellis Storey on the right and when he laid the ball back to Robbie Dale he fired the ball home giving Turner no chance. Blyth began to get on top with Dales in swinging free kick going just past the far post and then Turner saved with his feet from a shot from the dangerous Wearmouth on the half hour. Grantham had a shout for a penalty when Lee Shaw appeared to be held in the box but referee Mr Ellis waved play on. Grantham had a chance on 36 minutes when Jamie McGhee was played in by Ben Saunders but the Grantham skipper couldn’t keep his shot down. Grantham were now pressing. Ben Saunders was caught narrowly off side and then he turned smartly in the box but the final shot was wide. Mickey Emmott got in a low cross on 39 minutes but McHugh was out quickly to claim the ball as Saunders closed in. The half ended with Blyth’s Wilson Kneeshaw shooting over and Turner dealing with a couple of crosses into the Grantham area.
Grantham began the second half on the attack with McHugh in the Blyth goal twice in action in the opening minute’s firstly collecting an Emmott cross and then keeping out a Rhys Lewis header. Blyth had a chance to increase their lead on 52 minutes. Kneeshaw was brought down on the edge of the area by Rhys Lewis as he threatened the Grantham goal. Lewis went into the referee’s book for the tackle. Robbie Dale lined up the free kick but drove it wide of Turners near post. Ellis Storey attacked down the left wing on the hour and when he slipped and fell on the ball the referee chose to caution him for the involuntary hand ball. Protests from the Grantham bench saw Adam Stevens having to watch the remainder of the game from the stand. The ever dangerous Robbie Dale put a shot just wide of the post before Ben Saunders overhead kick from a Shaw cross went narrowly wide on 65 minutes. Dale brought another save from Turner before Grantham made their first change on 68 minutes with Alex Simmons replacing Jamie McGhee. Grantham continued to push forward but were almost caught on the counter when Blyth winger Wearmouth ran at the Town defence but his final shot went wide. Mickey Emmott saw his shot on 82 minutes go narrowly wide before Grantham replaced Ellis Storey with Ben Harris with 2 minutes remaining. Grantham pushed hard for an equaliser with Michael Hollingsworth having a shot charged down and Lee Shaw firing wide but despite there being 4 minutes added Grantham couldn’t find the break through and Blyth held on to take all three points from a game Grantham deserved something from.

Grantham
J Turner, D Meadows, E Storey (B Harris 88), M Hollingsworth, S Purcicoe, L Carr, J McGhee (A Simmons 68), R Lewis, B Saunders, M Emmott
Subs not used S Bilyk, J Beckett, R Dearle

Blyth Spartans
A McHugh, D Mullen, J Watson, N Buddle, D Morse, N Hooks (S Reid 68), A Wearmouth (A Davies 76), M Richardson, W Kneeshaw, M Wade, R Dale
Subs not used P Robinson, D Parker, F Otte

Referee Mr C Ellis

Free kicks conceded – Grantham 20 Blyth 5

Corner count – Grantham 3 Blyth 8

Attendance 821