Spennymoor 1 Chorley 0.

Spennymoor added another notable scalp to their collection when they beat Chorley at the Brewery Field on Saturday.

Moors have pulled off some excellent results this season – the most recent being a win at Southport and a draw at Kidderminster – and this was another against a team that has reached the first round proper of the FA Cup, and is one of their play off challengers.

The entertainment level wasn’t as high as that of previous matches, but the points keep Moors nicely in fifth place in the table, a point behind Brackley and two behind Blyth.

“That was a really positive result for us,” said manager Jason Ainsley. “We have played well in most home games this season, and we’ve picked up some good results, such as beating Stockport and Bradford, and we played well when we lost to York.

“Chorley are flying at the moment, and they have some good players that have helped them do well in the Cup, so for us to beat them was quite an achievement.

“They maybe shaded the game in the first half, and our keeper, Jordan Porter, probably had his best game yet for us, but we steadily got a foothold in the game and had a few chances.

“I thought Shane Henry was outstanding in midfield, he drove us on and kept creating chances, and Andy Johnson was in the right place to take the one that mattered.

“It was important for us to recover from our last home game against Curzon Ashton when we lost after being in the lead at half time. It was a good win for us, and most of all, we got a clean sheet, our first one for a while. To get four points out of Chorley and Kidderminster in the last two matches is massive for us.”

Moors had an early warning of Chorley’s capabilities when Jason Walker put a good chance wide, and then midway through the half Marcus Carver headed against the crossbar.

At the other end, Glen Taylor fired straight at the Chorley keeper, but the second half livened up.

Porter pulled off good saves from Walker and Carver, but Johnson got away at the other end and fired straight at Chorley keeper Matt Urwin.

Taylor was then denied by Urwin as Moors started to get on top, before Moors took the lead. Midfielder Jamie Chandler got away down the right and crossed for Mark Anderson, whose header was well saved by Urwin, but Johnson was on hand to stab the ball into the net.

Porter kept Moors level with a good save from Nick Haughton, but they should have gone 2-0 up when Foley broke away with just the keeper to beat but fired against the bar.

Chorley kept battling away, and Adam Blakeman went close late in the game, but Taylor nearly sealed it with a chance in stoppage time that he put wide.

Team: Porter, Griffiths, Tait, Curtis, Chantler, Henry, Chandler, Johnson, Anderson (sub Ramshaw 87), Foley (sub Hall 82), Taylor.

Subs: Mason, Lowson, Dixon.

Attendance 753.