Garner secures points for Boston United as Spartans finally repelled

Scott Garner’s second half finish was enough to secure Boston United three points at struggling Blyth Spartans.

Those watching would be well within their rights to so how the winning margin wasn’t greater than 1-0.

The answer was, quite simply, Brendan Pearson, the home team keeper pulling off a number of stunning saves to make this National League North contest more tense than it should ha e been considering the Pilgrims’ dominance.

But as the final whistle blew United’s three-game winless streak was over, the side up to 11th, three points off the play-offs and with hames in hand.

Three changes saw Josh Askew handed his first league start while Paul Green and Terry Hawkridge returned, Jay Rollins, Mitch Rose and Scott Duxbury dropping out of the Boston starting XI.

The contest looked every bit the battle between a side with promotion hopes and a team scrapping for survival.

If it wasn’t for Pearson the game would have been all but over within the opening 20 minutes.

The Blyth number one repelled Jordan Burrow’s strike and clawed away his goal bound header, also keeping hold of Connor Dimaio’s drive.

When Pearson wasn’t needed, Luke Shiels’ header struck the bar and Jordan Thewlis’ tight-angled effort was deflected wide.

Green then lashed an effort wide before the hosts lost defender and manager Michael Nelson to injury, Callum Guy replacing him.

The reshuffle saw attacker JJ O’Donnell pulled back into defence, relieving Blyth of some needed potency in attack.

Pearson was in the thick of it once again with two phenomenal saves, blocking Thewlis after he was slipped in on goal and then tipping Burrow’s header onto the crossbar.

When United finally got the ball into the back if the net Scott Garner’s finish was ruled out for handball.

It was more of the same after the break, Pearson getting the better of Thewlis again in a one on one.

But that hard work finally paid off in the 52nd minute, Garner firing home an angled effort after the Spartans failed to clear their lines.

The ball was in the net again courtesy of Hawkridge, only for play to be brought back for a foul on Dimaio in the build up, much to the Pilgrims’ chagrin.

Spartans’ first shot of the night came in the 67th minute as teenager Jamie Clark intercepted a kamikaze crossfield pass, his 30 yard curler landing just wide of the mark.

More poor defending from Boston gifted Clark a clear sight of goal, but the youngster lashed his effort well over from 12 yards out.

The Pearson-Burrow battle continued with the Spartans stopper scrambling across his goal and getting down to claw away a goal bound header.

United substitute Jay Rollins bullied the ball beyond Pearson, only for the covering O’Donnell to clear the danger.

Fraser Preston should have done better from close range at the death, but Garner’s effort secured the points.

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