Soccer-Barman's FA Cup dream soars and dies at Blyth

By Ian Chadband

LONDON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Robbie Dale, who works as a barman in his mum's pub, momentarily glimpsed the role of FA Cup folk hero until the dream for his seventh-tier Blyth Spartans team evaporated on Saturday.

On what is still sold as English football's most romantic Saturday of the season, the FA Cup third round, Blyth (NYSE: BTH - news) , the competition's lowest-ranked survivors from the Northern Premier League, took a 2-0 halftime lead over Birmingham City with excellent goals from captain Dale.

With five divisions separating the sides, though, reality soon bit with championship Birmingham responding emphatically early in the second half with three goals in 13 minutes, from Lee Novak and a double from Wes Thomas to seal a 3-2 win.

At least Blyth's efforts brought an old-fashioned glow to a day's fare which, deprived of the biggest clubs who nearly all play on Sunday, offered no stories in the same fairytale mould.

There was heartbreak for Conference side Southport, who defended heroically at Championship high-flyers Derby County before succumbing to a last-minute Chris Martin penalty.

Of the four Premier League teams in action, West Bromwich Albion, with new manager Tony Pulis at the helm, thrashed Conference side Gateshead 7-0, with four goals from Saido Berahino, and Swansea routed League Two strugglers Tranmere 6-2.

In the one all-top flight game, Leicester gained welcome respite from their Premier League struggles when a first-half Leonardo Ulloa goal sunk managerless Newcastle United 1-0.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)