Spennymoor Town 2 Nantwich 0.

Spennymoor are well on course for their third promotion in four seasons after two second half goals gave them a deserved victory over Nantwich in their play off semi final at the Brewery Field.

Moors’ previous experience of play off semi finals in the last two seasons shone through as they had a firm grip on proceedings for most of the game, and didn’t make any of the defensive blunders that had cost them in recent weeks. Those qualities, coupled with a second half snowstorm which made life doubly difficult for Nantwich, earned them a home tie against Stourbridge at the Brewery Field this Saturday.

Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley said; “I thought we were excellent throughout the game. I thought we were very solid defensively from front to back, and our keeper, Dan Lowson, didn’t have a save to make.

“We started the game well, created some chances, and they had a 15 minute spell when they got back into the game.

“I thought both our goals were well taken. Kallum Griffiths has scored goals like that before, and he showed why he’s been named in the league’s team of the year. Andy was as cool as you like for the second.

“I thought our big game players came to the fore. You could see how much victory meant to them before the game.

“As a club, we’ve come a long way. Only ten years or so ago we were in the second division of the Northern League, and now we have a chance to play in the National League North. But there is still a lot of work to be done, we’ve only done half a job so far.”

Moors kicked down the slope and into the wind in the first half, and had the first shot at goal through Andrew Johnson in the third minute, but the ball went well over the bar, and a minute later Glen Taylor cleverly turned two defenders 25 yards out and struck a right foot shot that skidded on the greasy surface into the hands of keeper Daniel Gyollai.

A good run by Johnson up the left took him behind the Nantwich defence, but when he pulled the ball back, Ibou Touray just managed to slide the ball away from Rob Ramshaw.

Moors went close from a free kick 30 yards out, awarded for a foul on Joe Tait by Vinny Mukendi, that Kallum Griffiths fired over the wall, but inches wide of the right hand post.

Nantwich nearly scored with their first chance on 20 minutes, when Moors keeper Dan Lowson fisted a left wing corner away as far as Sam Hall, who hit a rising right foot shot from the edge of the box that went just over the bar.

Nantwich came more into the game after that, looking to use Mukendi’s height up front to build up pressure.

Moors had a chance when Taylor’s shot on the turn was deflected wide, and Ramshaw’s subsequent corner whizzed across the six yard box.

Just like the first half, Moors had plenty of pressure in the opening minutes of the second, but the best chance they had was a shot by Graeme Armstrong that was charged down in a scramble on the edge of the six yard box.

But Nantwich showed how dangerous they could be when Tom Peers swung a corner over from the right, and centre half Ben Harrison headed just wide.

Nantwich keeper Gyollai pulled off a top class save on 62 minutes. A shot by Ramshaw was blocked on the six yard line and the ball ran loose for Chandler, whose shot seemed destined for the net until Gyollai somehow deflected the ball with his left hand over the bar.

Moors took the lead on 67 minutes. Curtis Jones was booked for a challenge on Ramshaw 30 yards out, and setpiece specialist Griffiths drove the free kick into the bottom left hand corner, with Gyollai, who seemed to see the ball late, unable to keep it out.

Nantwich made two subs to try and get back into the game, but not only were they facing a resolute Moors defence, they also had to contend with a heavy snowstorm in their faces.

And they had even more work to do on 80 minutes when Andy Johnson worked his way in from the left past two defenders, and fired into the bottom right hand corner.

Glen Taylor thought he’d scored a third when he poked the ball home, but he was flagged offside.

Moors: Lowson, Griffiths, Mason (sub Baldwin 62), Chandler, Tait, Curtis, Ramshaw, Henry, Taylor, Armstrong (sub Dowson 75), Johnson (sub Anderson 90).

Subs not used: Mitchell, Fisher.

Booking: Henry.

Nantwich: Gyollai, White, Touray, Harrison, Jones, Hall, Hancock, Riley (sub Brooke 78), Mukendi (sub Mwasile 72), Bell, Peers.

Sub not used: Jones, Abadaki, Stair.

Booking: Jones, Bell.

Attendance 882.