Blyth Spartans: FA Cup win 'best moment' of manager's career

Manager Tom Wade described Blyth Spartans' FA Cup first-round victory against Conference side Altrincham as the high point of his career.

The Spartans, in step seven of the football pyramid, belied their Northern Premier League status with the 4-1 win in front of 1,763 fans at Croft Park.

"It's the best football occasion of my life," Wade told BBC Newcastle.

"We played absolutely unbelievably. As the game developed we could have got seven or eight in the second half."

Wade's Blyth side have played six FA Cup ties already including replays to get to round two

Captain Robbie Dale, in his 13th season with the Spartans, scored two of the goals while Dan Maguire, 23, also got two to add another chapter to the club's FA Cup giant-killing history.

Dale was part of the Spartans side that reached the third round in 2008-09 where they were eventually beaten 1-0 by Blackburn Rovers, who were in the Premier League at the time.

"Robbie's been here before but the kids have never been anywhere near anything like this - some of them were playing for Seaton Delaval last year," Wade added.

"It's amazing to see the enthusiasm and the ability of the young players."