Page 19 - Women's Spccer Scene Issue No.37 2021-22

Blyth benefit from team effort

The aim for Blyth Town at the start of the season was to push for promotion and after covid, they
kept the core of their team and added to it, including having five or six Under-18 players playing
consistently.
This proved to be fruitful as Blyth Town emerged as winners of the Northern Division in the
North East League, getting the better of Chester-le-Street United and Boro Rangers in the title
race.
Blyth got off to a really good start, beating Bishop Auckland 5-0 at home before coming back
from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 away at title challengers Boro Rangers. They hit a bad run of form
around December/January, only picking up two points in three games whilst suffering their only
league defeat.
From that point, they went on a ten-game unbeaten run where they picked up 28 points out
of a possible 30. The standout performances came in March, fighting back from 2-0 down away
at Spennymoor Town to win 3-2 and really stepped it up a gear from that game as they never
thought they were beaten. The next week, Blyth went into a huge game against second placed
Boro Rangers and comfortably beat them 5-1 in their best footballing performance of the season.
Seven days later, they went to third placed Chester-le-Street knowing a loss would put them level
on points, with a better goal difference. Blyth were missing their top goalscorer, as well as their
captain for most of the game but scored an 85th minute equaliser for a crucial 1-1 draw.
Alex Henry is manager, with Laura Dodds as captain and leading goalscorer is Steph Ord
with 31 goals in 15 games (she is also top goalscorer in the division).
Defence was key for the team this season as they finished with the most clean sheets and
best goals against record in the division and this really helped in close games. Four players
finished with seven or more assists, including Laura Dodds who finished with 18. Steph Ord was
critical in scoring important goals but overall, having a small, settled squad with loads of
togetherness pulled the team over the line.
Blyth Town squad: Katie Archbold, Emily Ashby, Olivia Bruce, Shannon Carlin, Laura Dodds,
Alysia Donnison, Samantha Garcia, Katie Glendening, Emma Haley, Jessica Hennessy,
Rebecca Henry, Abigail Herron, Sophie Hollis, Steph Ord, Isabel Richards, Ailsa Swinburne,
Amber Witson, Kodie Wren.

Issue no. 37 - 2 June 2022 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk