Vauxhall Motors 2 Blyth Spartans 1

MOTORS stretched their unbeaten run to five games with a hard-fought victory against a battling Blyth side at Rivacre Park.

The result was not enough to drag Carl Macauley’s side out of the Blue Square North relegation places – but it gave them plenty of hope in their battle to beat the drop.

It was the home side who started the brightest with Dan Parkinson twice going close early on. His first effort on 15 minutes beat David Knight, but defender Carl Jones got back to make a superb goal-line clearance, although he collided with the post and was injured for his efforts.

Shortly after, Parkinson latched on to a long Scott Tynan kick and perhaps should have done better when one-on-one with Knight but he shot straight at the Blyth keeper.

The deadlock was broken on 26 minutes when Kevin Holsgrove made good progress on the right wing before squaring the ball for Parkinson, who timed his run perfectly to slot the ball home from close range.

Motors had to reshuffle just before the interval as Tom Hannigan went off injured. However, Blyth rarely threatened in the opening 45 minutes.

The home side made it 2-0 on 55 minutes. Holsgrove made a nuisance of himself again in the area before laying the ball off for substitute Liam Wynn, who hit a 20 yard screamer which cannoned into the net via the crossbar.

Blyth, to their credit, kept plugging away and looked the more dangerous of the two sides in the final 30 minutes. They were rewarded for their efforts on 79 minutes when striker Robbie Dale cut inside from the left before hitting a well placed 20-yard strike beyond Tynan. But it was too little, too late as Motors clung on for an important victory.

Vauxhall: Tynan, Fearnehough, Dames, Hannigan (Wynn 40), Jones, Burke, Mahon, Mannix, Parkinson (Egerton 83), Wilson, Holsgrove. Subs: Anoruo, Horne, Spotswood. Attendance: 209.

Motors, who hosted Hinckley United last night in a match played after the Pioneer had gone to press, travel to Solihull Moors this Saturday before hosting Stalybridge Celtic on Easter Monday (both 3pm).

Motors are running an Easter Soccer School at Rivacre Park.

The course starts tomorrow and finishes on Friday (10am-3pm).

Boys and girls aged from five to 12 are welcome and the course costs £10 (for one day) or £15 (two days).

To book your child a place, call 01492 583555.