Spennymoor Town 1 Gateshead 3.

Clinical Gateshead made their chances count at the Brewery Field as they beat Spennymoor for the second time this season.

Moors regretted missed chances at the International Stadium when Gateshead beat them in early September, and they endured the same frustration again on Saturday as they suffered their second successive defeat. They were furious though about a second half goal by Glen Taylor that was controversially ruled out for offside.

Nevertheless, they’re still in the playoff spots as they head into the New Year’s Day derby with Darlington at the Brewery Field.

“We’ve been done by a couple of decisions, one of which was Glen Taylor’s disallowed goal when we were 2-1 down,” said manager Jason Ainsley.

“That’s not taking away the fact that we gave stupid goals away, but we were in the ascendancy then and in the driving seat. What made it laughable was that the official said somebody else was offside. I’m raging about it. If that had counted, then we probably would have gone on and won the game. There were some positive performances in the second half, which I was pleased about.

“If you make mistakes like we did in the first half, then you deserve to get punished. You can’t keep scoring three or four goals to win matches. Defensive errors cost us -- we gave away another penalty.

“It’s in one ear and out the other, you tell people to stay on their feet, but instead they go to ground. There was no doubt that it was a penalty. You tell them not to give referees decisions to make, but look what happened.

“We didn’t clear our lines for the second one, and gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

“We scored a great goal to get back into the game, and I thought the lads were outstanding in the second half, but their third goal was a game-changer. We were in the ascendancy. We hit the bar twice, had balls cleared off the line and we were camped in their half. When the ball doesn’t go in, you think that luck isn’t on your side.

“I can’t fault the effort in the second half, we’re just not getting the rub of the green at the moment. It’s a pity, because there was a big crowd.”

The four-figure crowd certainly got its money’s worth, with an end-to-end game with plenty of chances.

Moors nearly scored in the second minute when Rob Ramshaw got away and put a great cross into the middle, but Glen Taylor couldn’t connect with the goal at his mercy.

For the second successive game, Moors conceded a penalty, although this time it was more clear cut than the one they conceded against Darlington. Dominic Tear darted into the box and was brought down by Moors full back Jake Hibbs, and Scott Barrow sent Mattie Gould the wrong way from the spot.

Spennymoor skipper James Curtis, once of Gateshead, almost equalised from a Mark Anderson corner, but his effort went narrowly wide, then Taylor put a header from a corner onto the roof of the net.

Moors went 2-0 down on 27 minutes, when Alex Nicholson dribbled down the right past two defenders and crossed to the far post for the unmarked Tear to head past Gould.

Moors pulled one back within three minutes, when Stephen Brogan crossed for Rob Ramshaw to head powerfully past keeper Brad James.

They nearly equalised when Curtis nodded a corner down for James Roberts to have a close range shot blocked, but Gateshead went up the other end and nearly got a third, when Tear couldn’t quite turn in Barrow’s low cross.

There was a frantic goalmouth scramble at the start of the second half that saw three shots blocked, and Roberts hit the bar with the visiting defence all at sea. The woodwork came to Gateshead’s rescue again when Roberts’ cross struck the bar off James.

The Heed went close with a free kick by Greg Olley, but it was nearly all Moors at this point, and they had a Taylor header from a right-wing cross somehow disallowed for offside from a right-wing cross.

But just as it looked as if Moors would build up momentum and equalise, Gateshead scored the crucial third, when Greg Olley ran thirty yards unchallenged, and fired across Gould into the net.

Spennymoor: Gould, Hibbs (sub McKenna 71), Brogan, Chandler, Mason, Curtis, Roberts (sub Boyes 88), Earing (sub Johnson 86), Taylor, Ramshaw, Anderson.

Subs not used: Buddle, Henry.

Attendance 1504.

In the BetVictor North West, there was a racist incident during Dunston’s 1-0 home defeat by Pontefract.

The club later released a statement, which said; “Dunston FC have a zero tolerance approach to racism and do not condone any type of racist behaviour whatsoever.

“Any individual or individuals found to have engaged in racist behaviour will be given a lifetime ban from all football games involving Dunston FC as well as club activities and groups involved or relating to Dunston FC.”