Spennymoor return to action after a fortnight’s break when FC United of Manchester come to the Brewery Field on Saturday afternoon.

The match comes at the start of what is going to be a very hectic period for Moors, weather permitting, with seven games in the next three weeks, and that means manager Jason Ainsley will be rotating his squad.

After today, they face Blyth Spartans away on Boxing day, then the FA have instructed Moors and Gainsborough to stage their twice postponed FA Trophy tie on Saturday 30th December – a blank Saturday in the league.

Then on New Year’s Day, Moors play their reverse league game against Blyth, and on Saturday 6th January they go to Bradford PA.

The following Tuesday they take on Telford in their re-arranged league game, and on the 13th they will play a second round Trophy tie against Solihull or a league game against Boston.

Manager Jason Ainsley said; “This is going to be an opportunity for all of the lads to play, because there’s hardly any recovery time between matches. It’s going to be a very hectic time and no breathing space.”

Moors had a great result at FC United earlier in the season, winning 3-2 in their first away game of the season, with goals by Glen Taylor, Kallum Griffiths and Andy Johnson, but since then United have moved up to 14th in the table under new manager Tom Greaves, with a recent victory over promotion chasing Harrogate Town to their credit.

“FC United have greatly improved since we played them at their place, and they’ve had some great results,” said Ainsley. “It looks as if they’ll be a different proposition to when we played them earlier in the season.

“That was one of my personal highlights of the season. They’ll probably bring at least 200 supporters with them to the game, so it should be another big occasion. Hopefully, our lack of action in the last fortnight won’t affect us too much.”

The pitch has thawed out from the icy blast of the last fortnight, and Moors will now stage their first home league game since the middle of November. Midfielder Jamie Chandler is Moors’ only doubt with a virus.