Ten-men Spennymoor Town and Darlington FC shared the spoils in a fierce Boxing Day clash thanks to Glen Taylor’s late first-half penalty.

A dramatic affair ended as an even result as Taylor converted his spot-kick on the stroke of half-time.

Moors came into the game without Mark Anderson, Brad Abbott and Jason Kennedy as well as co-manager Bernard Morley who were all out due to Covid.

The visitors took the lead in a cagey beginning to the game as Luke Charman headed home an in-swinging Danny Rose corner after 13 minutes.

Spennymoor grew into the game coming closest just after the half-hour mark when Taylor fired a 30-yard free-kick just over the bar.

A few minutes later the game was stopped as there was trouble within the stands between both sets of fans.

Town’s Taylor then offered his side back into the game after winning a penalty before the forward calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner from the spot with a minute remaining of added time in the first half.

Moors were then reduced to 10-men shortly after Taylor’s equaliser when Stephen Thompson was sent off for sliding in for a 50/50 challenge with the referee adjourning the challenge as a red card.

A change to a five-at-the-back formation from Anthony Johnson lead to a positive start to the second half for the hosts where Taylor had two chances in two minutes.

The forward looped one effort from a corner onto the roof of the net following a corner before Joe Tait’s long distance header sent Taylor through on goal but could only find the side netting from close range.

The Quakers had a dominant spell of possession either side of the hour mark with Charman forcing Dale Eve into a smart save at his near post as the former Newcastle United man fizzed a shot goal wards.

Minutes later Eve made another acrobatic save to stop Jack Lambert’s dinked effort from the left-wing.

The visitors nearly retook the lead with 10 minutes remaining as Charman fizzed a free-kick towards the top corner and what seemed like a guaranteed goal but the ‘keeper got across his goal line to claw the ball off his line.

Darlington were also reduced to 10-men with five minutes left after there was an altercation between Charman and James Curtis with the former shown red after the clash.