Spennymoor 2 Harrogate RA 0.

Spennymoor earned a home tie against Blyth in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup when they beat Harrogate RA with two first half goals.

Moors missed several chances on Saturday, but there was no sign of that problem as they went 2-0 up inside the first 21 minutes against a team they have faced eight times in two seasons. But they made life hard for themselves by not taking their chances.

Moors took the lead in the second minute, when Shane Henry firmly headed over Harrogate keeper Tom Goodwin from a left wing cross, and they nearly got a second when Liam Henderson headed just over.

Moors got their second on 21 minutes when the ball was played into the box by Andrew Stephenson for Nathan Fisher to run on to and fire across the keeper into the net. Fisher almost grabbed another, but his 20 yarder skidded wide of the post.

Harrogate should have pulled one back when Vincent Dhesi broke clear, but he fired tamely at Dan Lowson, and at the other end Henderson could have made the game safe when he found space, but he sidefooted straight at Goodwin. The keeper also saved from Henry and Henderson again before half time, while Anthony Peacock saw another left footed effort slip wide.

Peacock, as tricky as ever, went even closer at the start of the second half when he hit the post from twelve yards, while Harrogate sub Stephen Bromley nearly made Moors pay, but he put a good chance over the bar from twelve yards out.

Lowson then pulled off the save of the night, leaping to push a close range volley by Dan Thirkell over the bar.

However, Henderson nearly settled the game when he made a good run and unleashed a thunderbolt which struck the face of the crossbar with the keeper just getting a touch.

Moors manager Jason Ainsley said; “We should have scored three or four by half time, but in the second half going up the hill we struggled a bit, which is disappointing. We can’t afford to keep giving teams chances to get back into games.”

Spennymoor: Lowson, Griffiths, Mason, Kerr (sub Dodds 67), Tait, Risbrough, Stephenson (sub Cogdon 57), Henry, Henderson, Fisher (sub Keithley 85), Peacock.

Subs not used: Robinson, Frost, Johnson, Moore.