Spartans are back in league action tomorrow and back on the road tomorrow, away to Billy Heath’s Brexit FC.
Sat in 10th place in the National League North, 3 points off the play offs with a few games in hand after a successful(ish) FA Cup run where they managed to get to 2nd round before losing to Walsall in a replay, though the thing most will remember about their cup run is the last minute postponement before the original home time. The home side tried their best to get game on, but the pitch was of course frozen solid in some places. As ever though, Big Billy thought the pitch was fine, in fact it would be perfect for his 1970’s style football.
Ne prizes will be given for guessing Alfreton’s game plan tomorrow. They’ll be playing a horrible style of longball football, with floating balls into the box for the likes of Jake Day and Matt Rhead to get on the end of, while also dishing out as many sly elbows to defenders as possible. For these sort of games, your centre backs are probably better off spending a week in the gym sparing then doing any work on the pitch. Thankfully though, Rhead hasn’t seemed to feature this season at all but new strikers Lewis Slamon (6) and Jordan Thewlis (8) have been banging in the goals this season for Alfreton.
Centre back’s Adam Lund, Kennedy Digie and Dwayne Wiley have all formed a decent partnership in defence together, none of whom are the sort of blokes you’d like to meet down a dark alley on a night time. In midfield, Liam Waldock has probably been the best of the bunch for Brexit FC, netting 4 goals this season.
For Blyth, Dan Langley will likely takeover in goal with Alex Mitchell being out injured for at least the next month. Winger/Striker Lewis Knight appears to be out again with some form of injury and is not expected to play any part tomorrow. Jordan Hickey remains out with a knee injury and fellow centre midfielder Harry Arnison remains doubtful with injury. No word yet on striker JJ Hooper, who has missed the last few weeks with an achilles injury.
Other than Langley stepping into to replace Michael Hogan, I wouldn’t expect to see many changes to the starting XI other than maybe Joe Oliver dropping out the team for either Harrison Clark or a midfielder.
FAN INFO
Alfreton for whatever reason don’t sell tickets online, which is canny backwards in this day and age. Only way to get in is on the turnstile with is CASH only. No segregation will be in place but watch out for some of the local charvers, some of the complete driplets.
| Adult | £15 |
| Concession (aged 65 and over) | £10 |
| 16-21 years-old | £10 |
| Student | £10 |
| 12-15 years-old | £3 |
As for the pubs around Alfreton, The Victoria Inn (just around the corner from the ground) is acceptable. The Dog House as it’s now known is also somewhat okay, but if you’re after a decent pub you’re better off staying near the town centre where you’ll find a Spoons, The King Alfred and The Blue Bell.
Would recommend getting some scran in the town centre, as the food at the ground is rarely fit for human consumption. Speaking of the ground, the social club just outside the stadium is a damp and dreary place, resembling a run down social club form the 1970’s. The bar(s) in the ground itself are okay. They all serve cans and the bar staff are all 6/10’s at least.
At present the game is in no doubt ahead of tomorrow and the weather looks all good. Think myself and Tony Young would consider that shorts weather in fact.
BETTING INFO
Blyth have some canny odds ahead of tomorrow. Sadly I can’t find an under over on how many times our CB’s will get a sly elbow to the head (if I could I’d say over 4.5) but the odds on a 1-0 or 2-0 Blyth win look good. Given that Blyth have been a second half team though, the bookies are still offering canny odds on Blyth to win that.
Safe travels to anyone making the trip tomorrow!
#HowayBlyth