Spennymoor Town 0 Hereford 2.

Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley told his players that they need to stand up and be counted after their 2-0 home defeat by Hereford on Saturday.

Moors have now gone six games without a win, and have slipped down to fifth place in the league because Bradford PA drew 1-1 with Alfreton to go above them.

But on the plus side , eighth placed Kidderminster lost 2-1 at Altrincham, which means that they are still eight points behind Moors having played a game more – so a play off place is looking pretty good.

But the sooner Moors end this poor run the better, because they haven’t won now since they beat Leamington 1-0 at the Brewery Field in late February, and Ainsley, who refused to use the absence of six players as an excuse, said; “I asked questions in the changing room of the players at the end of the game, because the performance was nowhere near good enough.

“They can’t blame the pitch or the injured players for a performance that was nowhere near good enough. The trouble is that when we concede one goal, then it’s like popping balloon – the players need to stand up and be counted.

“We haven’t become a bad team overnight, and players need to remember that contracts will be up for renewal at the end of the season.

“We could have been 3-0 up inside the first 30 minutes because of the chances we had, but then we conceded twice and meant that we had to chase the game. They scored from their first chance. I thought that we gave away a poor penalty.

“I thought we started the game bright, but then our decision-making became horrendous. We changed the shape for the second half, but we didn’t really test their keeper. We didn’t really lay a glove on them.

“I know that other teams dropped points at the weekend, but we must do our job. I keep backing the players, but they must take account of themselves. “ Moors started the game looking as if they would end their recent bad run.

Jamie Chandler nearly scored straight from the kick off, then Jack Diamond, on loan from Sunderland, fired straight at Hereford keeper Matt Yates.

Diamond then had a great chance when he pounced on a loose backpass and chipped the keeper, but the ball went wide.

Jake Hibbs then created a good chance for Glen Taylor, who uncharacteristically headed over the bar, then Taylor had a header from a corner cleared off the line by full back Jak Hickman, who hit the bar while doing so.

And Moors paid for those missed chances on 33 minutes when Lance Smith was given space to fire into the bottom corner of the net.

Nine minutes later, it got worse for Moors when Tom Owen-Evans was taken out by a careless tackle by Hibbs, and the striker picked himself up and tucked in the spot kick.

Ainsley brought on striker Adam Boyes for Hibbs at the start of the second half in attempt to force their way back into the game, but most unlike Moors, the response wasn’t there, and they nearly conceded a third with a short back pass by Rob Atkinson that Rowan Liburd couldn’t quite take advantage of, and then a mistake by Kris Thackray let in Keiran Thomas, but Moors keeper Mattie Gould saved well.

Moors usually have something in reserve for a big finish, but it didn’t materialise, and now they’re hoping that their revival will start on Tuesday against Guiseley.

Team; Gould, Hibbs (sub Boyes 46), Curtis, Atkinson, Williams, Thackray, Chandler, Hall, Hawkins, Diamond, Taylor.

Subs not used: Elliott, Miller, Webb-King.

Attendance 830.