NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH
SOUTH Shields midfielder Will Jenkins believes sticking together helped the Mariners move to within three points of the play-off places with a 2-0 win at old foes Buxton.
Not for the first time this season, Mariners top goalscorer Paul Blackett was the difference as the former Gateshead and Spennymoor Town striker scored a goal in each half to give all three points to Elliott Dickman’s side.
Blackett opened the scoring ten minutes before half-time as he made the most of some neat approach play from Mackenzie Heaney and secured the points with seven minutes remaining with a typically clinical finish. Jenkins admitted the three points were all that mattered as his side push for a top-seven place.
He said: “We didn’t get the ball down as much as we would have liked to.
“But at this stage of the season, it’s about getting the three points, especially in the position we are in, and we are delighted.
“It was a battling game and I thought we stuck together as a team really well, so we are really happy.”
Blyth Spartans recovered from their midweek defeat against Darlington in some style with an impressive win at Southport. JJ Hooper was in fine form as he put Jon Shaw’s men in front inside the opening ten minutes before they were pegged back by a Danny
Lloyd penalty. Hooper restored the lead just after the half-hour and Jack Bodenham extended the lead just before the interval.
Richie Bennett got the hosts back into the game in the second half, but the Sandgrounders were unable to prevent Spartans claiming a win that has taken them five points clear of the relegation zone.
Spennymoor Town’s stunning run continued as they claimed a fifth consecutive victory at Curzon Ashton.
Despite arriving on Tameside with their hosts sat in a play-off place, Graeme Lee’s side seized the initiative in the early stages with an early goal from Finley Shrimpton.
Corey McKeown got in on the act when he doubled the lead with ten minutes remaining in the first half, and Rob Ramshaw ended any doubt over the destination of the points when he fired a third goal seven minutes after half-time.
Steve Watson and Terry Mitchell continued to get a song out of Darlington as their side moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a narrow home win against Peterborough Sports.
Cameron Salkeld struck the only goal of the game with 15 minutes remaining.
It was a battling game and I thought we stuck together as a team really well, so we are really happy Will Jenkins