By John Chapman
■ DAN MAGUIRE’S brace wasn’t enough to see off South Shields in the penultimate friendly before Spartans’ curtain raiser at Alfreton Town.
Carl Finnigan and an unnamed trialist scored for the visitors as they ensured the home side didn’t have it all their own way.
Blyth started the brightest of the two with Maguire going close early doors before the striker broke the deadlock slotting home after a great ball from Jordan Laidler.
Maguire doubled his tally for the afternoon, racing onto a trialist through ball before firing past the trialist goalk...