King’s Lynn 3 SpennymoorTown 0 .

Spennymoor couldn’t overcome the red card of Stephen Brogan as they were beaten 3-0 in their first ever visit to the Walks on Saturday – and manager Jason Ainsley was far from happy.

The full back was dismissed after just 15 minutes, and his absence was a heavy burden against the league leaders who had dropped just five points at home all season.

Manager Jason Ainsley said: “I’m disappointed, because he went to ground twice before that. We’ve told him to stay on his feet, but it goes in one ear and out the other – he’s given us a mountain to climb. He’s let us down badly.

“It’s hard to go to Kings Lynn at the best of times considering where they are in the league with eleven men. We had a gameplan, we knew they would have a lot of the ball and good players who can hurt us, but the sending off killed it and then they scored in the last minute of the first half. I thought we’d rode our luck when they hit the underside of the bar.

“If we’d gone in level at half time, then we would have regrouped again. We knew which shape we wanted to use for the second half with ten men. We competed in the second half, but we didn’t look a real threat. I thought we conceded some poor goals, regardless of whether we have ten or eleven men.

“When you give a team like that any sight of opportunities like we did, then they’re going to hurt us because they have good players. They deserve to be where they are. I’m disappointed with the manner of our defeat because we didn’t lay a glove on them. You need eleven players on the pitch when you go to places like that.

“Our gameplan went out of the window early in the game. I couldn’t fault the lads’ effort at all. They grafted for the club, but I was disappointed for the fans who travelled and witnessed a non-spectacle.

“It’s not the first time this season that we’ve conceded more than two goals on our travels, but King’s Lynn are top of the league on merit. It will take some team to beat these.

“We’re pleased to have a week’s break now before we play Kettering on Saturday.”

The Linnets started well, and on 15 minutes Chris Henderson tried to break clear with just keeper Mattie Gould to beat, but he was brought down by Brogan, who was shown an instant red card.

Moors seemed capable though of holding on against some strong pressure after Ainsley reshuffled his side.

The home side only had a couple of openings. Adam Marriott got away from the Moors defence, but Gould saved well at his feet, then Henderson set up Sonny Carey who hit the bar from just six yards.

But the league leaders took the lead just on half time when Gould could only turn a cross by Aaron Jones into the path of Ross Barrows, who turned the ball home from six yards – a huge blow for Moors.

The visitors were better after half time, but Kings Lynn slowly got on top again. After Gould saved a low shot by Nathan Fox, they went further in front when Marriott fired home from the edge of the box.

Marriott nearly scored a third when he burst through and fired just wide of the post, but the striker wasn’t to be denied when he controlled a low cross by Carey and fired past Gould – his 25th league goal of the season.

Moors kept battling away though, and James Curtis and Mark Anderson both went close in the dying minutes, but the game was well over by then Team: Gould, Magnay (sub Anderson 84), Brogan, Chandler, Buddle, Curtis, Roberts (sub Boyes 60), Henry, Taylor, Ramshaw, McKenna: Subs Mason, Earing, Johnson Attendance 1,439 In the BetVictor NPL Premier Division, league leaders South Shields won 2-0 at Ashton United, while Whitby drew 2-2 with Gainsborough. Morpeth were beaten 4-1 at promotion chasing Lancaster.

In the North West Division, Marske had a man sent off but still beat Brighouse 3-1, while Dunston lost 2-1 at Ossett.