Sorry Spartans apologise to fans

Blyth Spartans manager Paddy Atkinson has apologised to fans for Saturday’s 5-0 defeat at Croft Park at the hands of AFC Fylde, writes Philip Castiaux.

Spartans were well beaten at the weekend in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League and Atkinson says his players are 'itching' to put things right and bounce back at Kendal on Tuesday night.

The Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division manager said: "I hold my hands up, and so does the team. That performance was just not good enough. We’ve let the supporters down and we’ve let ourselves down.

"The goals we conceded were down to individual errors and our back five were poor. I would have expected more effort and commitment throughout the team. We can't keep having results like Saturday's but Tom Wade [assistant manager] and I are working under difficult circumstances.

"We are in a recession, and finances are tight and with no sign of improving. It's a stringent regime that we find ourselves in but the Board are working their socks off. We mainly have to rely on the current players but you can't make players better overnight."

Atkinson reckons his side would have scored against the Coasters but for their keeper and reserved special praise for striker Dan Maguire.

"We actually could have scored a couple of goals but their keeper pulled of some fantastic saves," added Atkinson. "Young Dan McGuire up front for us was the only positive thing from our point of view to come out of the game. He played really well."