Spennymoor Town 3 Ilkeston 0.

Spennymoor have a three point cushion in second place in the EvoStik League after beating Ilkeston 3-0 at the Brewery Field last night, thanks to a David Dowson hat trick for their second victory of this week.

In the first half, Moors were nowhere near the excellent form that they showed on Tuesday night at Matlock.

It looked good when David Dowson put an early shot wide, but then they failed to break down the Ilkeston defence, and the visitors, who couldn’t raise a team to play at Workington last week, nearly took the lead with a lob by Dwyer that Dan Lowson managed to keep out.

Andy Johnson had an effort that was saved by Hannis just before the break, but Moors managed to break through on 55 minutes when a header by Glen Taylor was parried by Hannis, but the ball dropped for David Dowson, who forced the ball home.

The goal lifted Moors, and they nearly got a second when Rob Ramshaw went close from the edge of the box.

They got some much needed breathing space with ten minutes left when sub Graeme Armstrong sent Dowson running clear and he easily beat Hannis for his second goal of the game.

Anderson nearly added a third near the end when he broke away, but Hannis saved well, then sub Adam Mitchell put a good opportunity over the top.

Man of the match Dowson completed his hat trick in stoppage time when he was put through and rounded the keeper.

Spennymoor: Lowson, Griffiths, Tait, Mason, Watson, Ramshaw, Johnson (sub Anderson 60), Henry, Chandler, Dowson, Taylor (sub Armstrong 60).

Subs: Curtis, Mitchell, Smith.