Spennymoor 2 Marine 1

Spennymoor right back Kallum Griffiths spared the blushes of his keeper Andy Rafferty with a late winner at the Brewery Field.

Moors took the lead after just three minutes, when a great crossfield ball by on loan youngster Thomas White found Kallum Griffiths, who crossed low into the middle where Marine defender Kenneth Strickland, running back to his own goal, could only turn the ball into his own net.

But Moors couldn’t add to their advantage, and Marine nearly levelled on 22 minutes when left back Andrew Nicholas struck a dipping shot from the corner of the box that just cleared Andy Rafferty’s crossbar.

And they missed a better chance when Sean Myler pounced on a mistake in the Moors half , ran into the box and squared the ball for Matthew Hamilton, whose low shot from ten yards was well saved by Rafferty.

But the keeper was to blame for the equaliser on 34 minutes, when Strickland struck a routine free kick with no real power, straight at him from 30 yards, but somehow the ball went through his hands into the net.

Rafferty was subbed at half time, with Dan Lowson replacing him.

The second half became a very frustrating affair for Moors and manager Jason Ainsley used up all three subs by the 71st minute

Moors didn’t get into the Marine penalty area until three minutes from the end, when Kallum Griffiths picked up a crossfield ball on the edge of the area, cut inside and hit a low left foot shot that beat the keeper at his near post.

Moors nearly let Marine back in the game in stoppage time, but fortunately Craig Lindfield fired across the face of goal from six yards out.

Spennymoor:

Rafferty (sub Lowson 46), Griffiths, T White, Chandler, Tait, Curtis, Ramshaw, Henry, Taylor (sub Armstrong 71), Johnson, Anderson (sub Fisher 55)

 

Subs not used:  Mitchell, Dowson

Attendance 472