Litchfield, Howarth and South were on target to continue Hallam’s unbeaten start to the season on a very warm bank holiday Monday fixture.

Craig Denton made one change from his side’s one-all draw against Bradford (Park Avenue) with Jamie Sharman replacing Paulo Aguas, meaning captain Danny South lead the line to begin the game.

And after a quarter of an hour on the clock, Hallam opened the scoring, Brodie Litchfield once again scoring at Sandygate. Benni Ndlovu raced through on goal and squared it to Litchfield, who, on the slide, opened his league account to take the Countrymen ahead.

But less than three minutes later, Blyth Town equalised through a tidy finish from Marcus Giles, on the turn from a deep free kick.

A few minutes after, Hallam were nearly gifted an opportunity to go ahead when Town’s goalkeeper Neil de Jesus’s miskick fell straight to South, who unfortunately could not bring it under control. With the next half an hour offering little-to-no goalmouth action, the first half ended level at one-apiece.

And the start of the second half started as the last one ended, with both sides struggling to create anything clear-cut. Blyth Town had a chance to break, but the attack was thwarted through the middle, and substitute Aguas shot over from close range after finding a pocket of space in the box.

After 70 minutes, the Countrymen had their greatest chance to go ahead again in the game when Litchfield’s effort from range was saved but poorly parried straight into the path of midfielder Charlie Staniland. His first-time effort, however, was well saved by de Jesus, making up for his previous error.

But with ten to go, Hallam finally retook the lead! After captain Joseph Gibson was adjudged to have handled in the box, Leon Howarth, off the bench, stepped up and slotted it home to make it 2-1 late into the game.

And Hallam capped the afternoon off with a third with just a few minutes to go of normal time. Jack Brownell’s perfect corner was met in the middle by South, who’s towering header looped over the goalkeeper to double the advantage.

Blyth Town had a chance to halve the deficit when their forward luckily got through an outrushing Hugo Warhurst, but man of the match Keenan Ferguson was there to sweep up and stop the attack, meaning the game ended 3-1 to Hallam, their first win of the season!

Denton and his men now focus on Sunday’s game against Ashton United in the FA Cup, hoping to make it another win in the competition at Sandygate!

MATCH STATS
No.	Name	Goals	Assists	Yellows	Reds	Sub
1	Hugo Warhurst
2	Jack Brownell		86’
3	Stephen Brogan
4	Keenan Ferguson
5	Danny South (C)	86’
6	Brandon Bradbury					61’
7	Mason Warren
8	Charlie Staniland
11	Benni Ndlovu		15’			46’
17	Jamie Sharman					62’
19	Brodie Litchfield	15’				86’
SUBSTITUTES
14	Paulo Aguas					46’
15	Calum Ward
16	Leon Howarth	79’(p)				62’
18	Harrison Poulter					86’
20	Janni Lipka					61’

STARTING FORMATION (4231)
1. Warhurst
2. Brownell	4. Ferguson		17. Sharman		3. Brogan
8. Staniland			7. Warren
11. Ndlovu		6. Bradbury		19. Litchfield
5. South (C)

MOTM – Keenan Ferguson

Attendance – 826

Referee – Dominic Jackson

Watch the highlights here!

Photo Credits – Ian Manewell (@ianthemaneman on X)