Spennymoor Town 3 Matlock Town 2.

Spennymoor held on against a second half fightback by Matlock for three valuable points for their play off push.

Matlock were delayed on their way northwards so the kick off was delayed, and they were clearly still on the motorway in the first half.

Moors took the lead after just 47 seconds, when Graeme Armstrong latched on to a through ball from Jamie Chandler, ran on and beat Matlock keeper Phil Barnes with a right foot shot.

Moors kept the pressure on, and went closer again with a free kick by Kallum Griffiths from 20 yards that went over the defensive wall and just cleared the bar.

They deservedly went 2-0 up on 26 minutes when Mark Anderson’s pace took him away from the Matlock defence, and he beat Barnes with a low left foot shot.

Matlock were at sixes and sevens, and they nearly conceded a third on 33 minutes when they left Armstrong completely unarmed six yards out to head a corner towards goal, but Barnes saved well.

But that was only brief respite because Adam Mitchell whipped in the subsequent corner for Shane Henry, coming in unmarked, to head past Barnes.

Moors seemed well enough in control after that until the 63rd minute when Cleveland Taylor hit a 25 yarder that took a deflection off Chandler, wrongfooted Dan Lowson and went into the bottom corner..

And Matlock pulled another back two minutes later when Lowson could only parry a left foot shot by Jamie Yates, and Niall McManus tapped in.

Moors had to dig in after that as they were forced back by a resurgent visiting side , who went close to an equaliser with a 20 yarder by Michael Williams that was just off target.

But Moors managed to regain a semblance of control to see out time.

Lowson, Griffiths, Mason, Chandler, Watson, Curtis, Mitchell, Henry, Armstrong (sub Taylor 87), Dowson, Anderson (sub Ramshaw 70 mins).

Subs Johnson, Fisher, Smith.

Attendance 502.