Moors Get Their Revenge!

Report by David Robinson.

Spennymoor duly got their revenge for last week’s home defeat by reversing the score line at Hurst Cross. Ashton welcomed back Ryan Crowther into the starting 11 but soon had to replace both Domenico Maiese and Will Haining who both picked up knocks.

After a quiet opening which saw Griffiths’ cross just squeezed out at the near post the visitors moved ahead as a great forward pass led to Stephen Mason cutting out Glen Taylor’s cross at the cost of a corner which saw James Curtis head home Shane Henry’s delivery unchallenged on 20 minutes and just past the half hour the Robins had their best chance to equalise as Jack Dorney’s corner was flicked on by Richard Smith to Lee Gaskell whose shot was blocked on the line by Joseph Tait.

Moors could have moved further ahead before the break as Ramshaw’s pass put Taylor in the clear needing the alert Branagan to be quickly out to deny him with Anderson volleying the resulting corner well over the top.

On the resumption a long free kick was headed back by Henry which saw Armstrong just denied from close in but with 18 minutes left Taylor put Moors two up as he glanced in Kallum Griffiths’ right wing cross and then saw an effort cleared off the line for a corner from which Robert Ramshaw clipped the top of the bar.

It took the introduction of sub Matty Chadwick to inspire the hosts as he collected Mark Lees’ through ball and finished past Rafferty at the second attempt but back at the other end a corner saw Alex Frost’s clearing header result in Dominic Smalley clearing Henry’s shot off the line and Chadwick could then have snatched an unlikely draw as Smith’s long ball saw him round the onrushing Rafferty only to put his effort wide of the open goal leaving the home crowd with their heads in their hands.

Team: Branagan, Smalley, Maiese (Lofthouse), Frost, Mason, Haining (Dorney), Lees, Smith, Gaskell, Crowther (Chadwick), Knight.

SNU: Banim, Baguley.