Spennymoor Town 5 Alfreton 0.

Spennymoor easily defeated Alfreton with a top-class performance at the Brewery Field to climb back into the play off positions – and manager Jason Ainsley hailed a perfect display.

Moors could have scored more in one of their best performances of the season, because they dominated play and gave Alfreton very few opportunities at the other end. It was only in the last ten minutes when the scoreline reflected Moors’ excellent football.

Moors have won four and drawn two of their last six matches to put them level with Altrincham in the play-off zone and a point behind Brackley, with another home game against Telford coming up this Saturday – and many Moors fans will be backing them to finish much higher in the table based on this display.

“You get performances once in a while in which everything comes together. It was a perfect performance in very difficult conditions against a form team,” said Ainsley. “I told the players at half time when we were 1-0 up that their first half performance warranted more goals, because their keeper pulled off two brilliant saves and we had other chances.

“When you don’t take your chances, sometimes it comes back and bites you. We were sloppy for a ten minute period but other than that, I thought the goals warranted the performance. I thought it was a fair scoreline.

“We created enough chances to score double figures, and we had all eleven players right at it on Saturday from minute one.

“We had a spell of results a month ago in which things didn’t go well for us, but you’ve got to stay focused and forget what people say on the outside. We know what we’re capable of, and we take some stopping when we’re at our best. That performance was something special, and it backs up the wins that we’ve had in this run. We’ve got a hard-working dressing room, and there’s a lot of demand on everybody in training. The goals were the icing on the cake because the result warranted the performance.”

Moors couldn’t have asked for a better start on 4 minutes when Glen Taylor was brought down as he tried to latch on to a corner, and he tucked away the resultant penalty for his 21st goal of the season.

Moors took full control of the game after that, and Alfreton must have been relieved that they were still in the game at half time.

Alfreton keeper Jordan Wright made a great save from Tyler Forbes whose shot was heading into the top corner, then defender Nathan Buddle was just wide with a header.

James Roberts fired just wide from a Rob Ramshaw pass, then Shane Henry was unlucky to see an effort come back off the post. Wright made another good save at close range from Ben McKenna, and then he blocked a low shot by Taylor.

Moors deservedly broke through for their second goal just two minutes after half time. The Alfreton defence was caught napping at a quick throw in, allowing Forbes to pull the ball back for James Roberts to beat Wright.

Moors stayed well on top in the monsoon conditions, and their dominance told in the last fifteen minutes.

Nathan Buddle made it 3-0 on 77 minutes when Stephen Brogan played a short corner for Henry to cross into the middle for the former Blyth defender to nod home.

Four minutes later it was 4-0 when recent signing Jason Kennedy knocked a corner down for Rob Ramshaw to force home.

And Alfreton were a well-beaten outfit in the last minute when Ramshaw crossed from the right, and the ball evaded everybody and went into the bet with the Alfreton defence bemused.

Attendance 1000.

Team: Gould, Forbes, Brogan, Kennedy, Buddle, Curtis, Roberts (sub Anderson 85), Henry, Taylor (sub Boyes 85), Ramshaw, McKenna (sub Whitehouse 85).

Subs not used: Eve, Mason.

In the BetVictor NPL Premier Division, leaders South Shields were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Buxton, while Whitby and Morpeth both won 2-0 on their travels at Matlock and Stafford Rangers respectively.

Marske’s home game with Tadcaster in the North West Division was postponed, while Dunston lost 4-3 at Brighouse.