AFC Telford United 2 Spennymoor Town 1.

Spennymoor Town manager Jason Ainsley said that his side shot themselves in the foot when they were beaten 2-1 at AFC Telford United on Saturday.

Moors once again gave a great account of themselves, but they didn’t convert their chances because of a great display by Telford keeper Josef Bursik, whom the hosts signed on loan from Stoke City before the game, and the fact that they lost their grip on the game at vital times.

This was Moors’ first away defeat since they lost 4-1 at Brackley on 20th October – six away games ago – and Ainsley said; “Every time we had a good spell and were in the ascendancy, we conceded a goal. Maybe they were the better side in the first half, but it was one-way traffic in our favour in the second and I thought we played some good football. We seemed to shoot ourselves in the foot at key moments in the game.

“With a little bit more luck when Stephen Brogan and Glen Taylor had chances, then we could have scored more goals.

“But I can’t complain too much. That was our first defeat away from home since October, and only Stockport and Chorley of the teams above us have conceded fewer goals. We’ve also scored the highest number of goals in the division along with Bradford Park Avenue, so I don’t think there’s all that much wrong.”

Moors started the game well enough. Mark Anderson lobbed the keeper but unfortunately just over the bar and was also narrowly past the post from a curling free kick. But at the other end Moors keeper Matthew Gould made a good stop from Telford striker Danny Udoh.

Moors kept asking questions of the Telford defence, and Glen Taylor headed wide from a brief flurry of corners.

However, Telford took the lead on 26 minutes when Jake Hibbs tripped Brendon Daniels as he ran into the box following a poor clearance by Gould, and Daniels fired the penalty into the top corner.

Telford had a goal disallowed as Moors tried to recover, and they got back into the game soon after half time when Anderson split the defence for Taylor to run on and beat the keeper for his 15th league goal of the season.

The game really opened up at that point. Brogan had a shot well saved by Bursik for Moors, while Daniels put a good close-range chance over the bar.

And Telford regained the lead on 63 minutes with a cracking goal by Darryl Knights, when he curled an effort into the top corner past the outstretched fingers of Gould.

Moors nearly levelled with eight minutes left when Brogan found Taylor just a few yards out, but Bursik pulled off another great save.

Moors are now eighth in the table, just outside the play off spots, but they can climb back into sixth if they beat Kidderminster at the Brewery Field on Tuesday night.

Team: Gould, Hibbs (sub Williams 45) Brogan, Chandler, Atkinson, Curtis, Johnson (sub Tuton 74), Henry, Taylor, Boyes, Anderson (sub Kempster 74) In the EvoStik League, South Shields won 1-0 at Witton Albion to go fourth in the table, but Whitby lost 2-0 at Buxton.

In the EvoStik League East, leaders Morpeth were beaten 2-1 at home by Frickley, while Marske dropped to eleventh after losing 2-1 at home to Loughborough.