Spennymoor 5 Ashton United 0.

Mark Anderson inspired Moors to their best win of the season and pushed them up to third in the National League North table.

Anderson scored a beauty and set up three more, as Moors brushed Ashton aside with some excellent football – and banished any doubts that the enforced break would have affected them on the back of the win at Hereford a fortnight previous.

Manager Jason Ainsley, whose side has now won six out of their last seven league games to charge up the league table behind Kidderminster and Chorley, said; “Sparky was outstanding, Ashton didn’t know what to do with him.

“He scored a superb goal from a free kick, then had an assist with three more. Some of our goals were a delight to watch.

“Overall, I was very happy with the performance. I was a little concerned that the fortnight’s break might have had an effect and I wondered how the players would react, but they were all very positive.

“I thought Ashton started the game well, and it took us ten minutes to get to grips with them because they had good movement on the ball and they moved it about well.

“Some of our football was a joy to watch, just like it was at Hereford in our previous game. We scored the opening goal from a setplay, and that set us on our way. We looked as if we were going to score every time we went forward, our finishing was clinical.

“As a team, our energy levels were great and so it was obvious that the lads had looked after themselves during the break on top of our usual training sessions.”

Moors took the lead after nine minutes, when Anderson curled in a corner for skipper James Curtis to beat former Hartlepool keeper Jan Budzt with a header, his first goal of the season.

Moors threatened another, but it was Ashton who nearly scored the next goal with a powerful shot by Bradley Jackson that was heading for the top corner until keeper Jonathan Gould just got his hands to it.

Anderson broke through at the other end and fired straight at Budzt, before Moors got their second on 32 minutes, when Anderson delivered a perfect corner for Shane Henry to head his second of the season.

Rob Ramshaw missed a good chance for 3-0 from another Anderson pass, but Moors didn’t have to wait long for a third just before half time.

Glen Taylor was brought down just outside the box, and Anderson cleverly curled the ball around the wall and into the bottom corner.

Ashton missed a good chance to pull one back at the start of the second half, and Moors punished them for that miss when they went 4-0 up on 59 minutes. This time Ramshaw sliced open the Ashton defence for Andrew Johnson to run through and beat Budzt.

The goal killed off Ashton, and Moors cruised through the rest of the game. Anderson had a chance for a personal second but fired straight at Budzt from the edge of the box, before sub Boyes picked up a pass from Anderson and beat the keeper with a shot on the turn with a couple of minutes left.

Anderson, who came back into the starting eleven for the 3-0 win at Hereford, has now scored seven goals this season, and he said; “The coaching staff know what I can do, and when you’re asked to play, you’ve got to take your chance.”

Moors: Gould, Hibbs, Curtis, Thackray, Brogan, Chandler, Ramshaw, Henry (sub Johnson 46), Tuton (sub Hall 84) , Anderson, Taylor (sub Boyes 70) Subs: Atkinson, Elliott Attendance 708 In the EvoStik Premier, South Shields lost 2-1 at Hednesford, their fifth away defeat of the season which sees them drop to seventh. Whitby drew 0-0 at Marine.

Morpeth lost their FA Trophy tie 4-3 at home to Brighouse, while Marske were denied victory by a last minute penalty at home to Atherton, so they must replay tonight.