Spennymoor Town 2 Southport 1.

Spennymoor discovered in the cruellest of football ways that they wouldn’t be playing in the league play offs this week.

Moors thought on the final whistle at the Brewery Field that they had done enough to clinch a play off game at Kidderminster on Tuesday by beating Southport and in doing so had overtaken Bradford Park Avenue who had apparently drawn at Kidderminster.

But just as Moors were thanking their fans for their loyal support over these last gruelling weeks and thinking about the midweek trip across country, word filtered through that Adam Boyes had scored for Bradford deep into stoppage time, and instead the Yorkshire side would be going back to Kidderminster on Tuesday.

Manager Jason Ainsley said; “We were on the pitch celebrating reaching the play offs with the fans, until one of them shouted at me and told me that Bradford had scored a winner late in stoppage time. It was a bit of a sickener.

“But we didn’t get kicked out of the play offs because of Bradford’s late goal, it’s the fact that we haven’t won enough matches over the last two weeks. We should have beaten North Ferriby, for example.

“I couldn’t have asked for any more from the lads, they gave everything and more throughout the game, especially after being 1-0 down early in the game. We thoroughly deserved to win.

“We’ve had an horrendous run of games caused by the bad weather, and they’ve taken a lot out of the lads. They were almost running on empty on Saturday.”

Moors therefore finish in eighth position on goal difference and Ainsley said; “I’m sure that when we sit down and reflect about the season, then we can say that it’s been fantastic, especially to finish above clubs like York, Blyth and Darlington, and we’ve only missed out on the play offs on goal difference – which isn’t bad for a club that people thought would be in the relegation zone for most of the season. Add to that, we reached the quarter final of the FA trophy, and we figured in the semi-final draw.

“We started the season well on the first day against Stockport, and we finished it well on the last day against Southport. Maybe we’ve over-achieved, but it’s important that we don’t get too carried away now, and build for the next season.

“It was the bad weather that killed us, and that led to an unbelievable schedule. It would have been a tough ask going to Kidderminster on Tuesday with the injuries that we had, but we would have given it a right good go.”

Moors got off to a bad start, when Southport’s Ross Hannah found space on the edge of the area and fired past Dan Lowson to put the visitors into the lead, and add to the tension around the Brewery Field.

Olly Marx was just off target for a second for Southport, then Lowson then made an excellent save to deny Graham Kelly before half time.

Moors dug deep in the second half, and took the game to Southport. They were rewarded on 55 minutes when Mark Anderson and Rob Ramshaw played a one-two, which ended with Anderson firing past keeper Jon Worsnop.

At that point, Moors were in the play off spot, as Bradford were losing, as well as Blyth and York.

Eight minutes later, their grip on the play off spot strengthened when Glen Taylor crossed for Ramshaw to neatly flick the ball past Worsnop.

They stayed in control of the game, and even when word filtered through that Bradford had equalised at Kidderminster, they were still in the play offs. Ramshaw nearly made it 3-1, but by now everyone was keeping an eye on what was happening at Aggborough.

On the final whistle, some thought that Moors had done enough, but then word came through that Adam Boyes had scored the winner four minutes into stoppage time – and end Moors’ season in an agonising instant.

Team: Lowson, Griffiths (sub Dixon 84), Curry, Curtis, Henry (sub Mason 49), Chandler, Ramshaw, Hall, Anderson, Foley (sub Johnson 81), Taylor.

Subs: Porter, Rutherford.

Attendance 891.