Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley is still undecided whether to play an under strength team in tonight’s Durham Challenge Cup semi-final against Shildon.

Should Moors gain revenge for last season’s final defeat against the same opponents, then the final against the winners of the other tie between Gateshead and Easington will be played on Good Friday morning.

Durham FA have told Moors that should they win tonight, then they won’t be prepared to move the date of the final. Moors are due at Salford in an important Evo-Stik League game the following day, and manager Jason Ainsley has said that if he is forced to field a weakened team in the final, then he might as well play a weakened team in the semi-final.

Striker Ian Ward and midfielder Robert Briggs and Lewis Hawkins are all cup-tied. Shildon have several injuries, with strikers Paul Connor, Micky Rae and Billy Greulich-Smith all facing fitness tests. Midfielder Mark Hudson is definitely out.

North Shields managed to avoid an 800 mile round trip to Cornwall in the semi-finals of the FA Vase which was drawn yesterday.

Shields could have been drawn away to St Austell from Cornwall, but instead they have been paired with the winners of the replay between Wiltshire-based Highworth United or Tadcaster Albion in Yorkshire from the Northern Counties East League.

The first leg is due to be played on March 21, with the second leg on March 28. The other semi final is between St Austell and the winners of the replay between Shaw Lane Aquaforce and Glossop North End.