Vauxhall safe from relegation after win

Apr 8 2009 by James Connor, Birkenhead News

Blyth Spartans0

Vauxhall 1

VAUXHALL'S made it eight games unbeaten and secured their place in the Blue Square North with this victory at Blyth Spartans on Saturday.

The Motormen made a dream start when captain Matty Burke intercepted a throw in and played a through ball to Chris Noone who fed it first time to Lee Furlong who rifled the ball into the roof of the net to put Vauxhall's 1-0 up after only 30 seconds.

On 14 minutes Blyth came close when goalkeeper James Coates spilled Tony Shandran's shot, but Marc Walton fired the rebound well wide.

Blyth were forcing the issue at this point and they came close twice in a minute when first Stuart Banks played in Walton who fired just wide and then Coates made a smart save from Walton. On 27 minutes a free kick from the left by James Holden found the head of Tom Hannigan and Mark Bell in the Spartans goal needed two attempts to gather the ball safely.

Blyth pressed again and from a corner affected by the strong wind blowing around Croft Park, a scramble in the area saw Coates turn Walton's first time shot on to the post.

Just before the break Furlong was fed the ball by Karl Noon and his shot was well saved.

The second half began with substitute Anthony Wright forcing a double save from Bell before the ball was cleared. The match then became a battle against the swirling wind and it wasn't until the 67th minute when after a breakaway down the left, Banks fired a shot across the face of the Vauxhall goal.

Blyth captain Richard Pell then hit the bar after a free kick was floated in from the right.

Chris Noone had a penalty shout waved away when he was rugby tackled in the area in the clear view of both the referee and linesman late on before Blyth Assistant Manager was sent to the stands for something he said and Anthony Wright was shown a second yellow card, Vauxhall's first red card of the season.

Vauxhall Motors: Coates, Hannigan, Dames, Marsh Evans, Griffiths, Egerton, Holden, Burke, Noon (Wright 45), Noone, Furlong.

Substitutes not used: Field, Macauley, Mustafa.

THE Motormen travel to struggling Redditch United this Tuesday evening (7th April) in the Blue Square North before taking on Fleetwood Town at the Motassist Arena on Saturday 11th April. Vauxhall's are admitting children free of charge for both Saturday's match and on the final day of the season (25th April) against Kings Lynn.