Elliot Reeves struck on the stroke of half-time to deny Spennymoor back-to-back league wins in a game of few chances at The Impact Arena.

Glen Taylor’s penalty on the half hour mark had opened the scoring following a scrappy and disjointed opening period – the striker’s fourth goal in three games this campaign.

But, on an afternoon of misplaced passes and scrappy phases of play, a misjudged back pass from James Curtis allowed Reeves to slot past Dale Eve.

Jason Ainsley was forced to make one change from the side who began the win over Farsley Celtic on Tuesday, with Ryan Hall replacing the injured Stephen Thompson on the wing.

It was the wingers first start for Moors since Boxing Day 2019.

The game was low on quality in a stop-start first 30 minutes, with both teams getting into promising positions but finding themselves unable to execute the killer pass.

With the game at a standstill, the referee took centre stage and awarded Moors their fourth penalty in the space of a week after he spotted a handball from an Alfreton player in the area.

Taylor, who scored the crucial second goal against Farsley just four days earlier, stepped up and powered a low shot past the hand of George Willis.

That goal sparked Moors into life and a second goal almost arrived immediately when Curtis found himself unmarked at the back post from a corner, but Willis stopped his goal bound header from close range.

With the half drawing to a close and Moors now seemingly in a dominant position, a rare mistake from captain Curtis allowed Alfreton to equalise.

The defender’s blind back pass was cut out by the alert Reeves who kept his cool to beat the outrushing Eve.

A second half which saw the home side create the more clear cut chances developed, but in large, it was a cagey and, at times, bad tempered contest.

Moors were grateful that Eve was alert to a dangerous cross and subsequent header, before the lively Reeves whipped an effort past the post.

Bobby Johnson found himself with time on the right hand side of the area with fifteen minutes remaining, but great defending from Taylor allowed the ball to ricochet into the arms of Eve.

Moors created little in the second half, but, after the introduction of Mark Anderson ten minutes from time, began to look more threatening.

He was involved in the best chance of the half for Ainsley’s side, but his low pass across the area was blazed over the bar by Rob Ramshaw.

There was still time for one last chance and it fell to Alfreton, with Dan Bradley’s shot being superbly stopped by the impressive Eve after the midfielder found himself in a one on one situation.