York City 1

Kouhyar 83

Spennymoor Town 0

Attendance: 3797

Moors’ play-off hopes took a massive hit following York City’s later winner at the LNER Community Stadium.

Spennymoor came into the game having made two changes to the team that defeated Leamington last time out.

James Curtis and Claudio Ofosu dropped out of the starting lineup, as the former was serving the first of a two-game suspension.

They were replaced by Ryan Hall and Jamie Chandler, with the latter returning from injury. Alongside Chandler’s comeback, Jordan Thewlis and Jordan Preston also returned from injury as they started on the substitutes bench.

Moors started the game brightly and could have had an early goal through Glen Taylor after 10 minutes.

It was a deep floated free-kick which started the chance, with Taylor heading the ball onto Rob Ramshaw before the midfielder slipping the ball back to the striker. However, the number nine could only find the side netting from close range.

Taylor came even closer seven minutes later as Brierley’s floated corner was attacked at the back post by the forward. He managed to loop his header over the ‘keeper, but Maxim Koughan was on the line to clear it away.

Spennymoor’s positive first-half continued, as Ryan Hall won the ball back before finding Ramshaw down the right-hand side. The midfielder was then able to fizz the ball into Taylor, who spun and rolled the ball just wide of the post.

Ramshaw was then unlucky not to open the scoring just after the half-hour mark, as he half-volleyed Spokes’ whipped ball against the crossbar and over.

York took until the start of the second-half to create an open chance, as John-Lewis headed the ball wide from close range following a City attack down the right-wing.

Just after the hour-mark, Moors had a heart in mouth moment as York City’s saw appeals for a penalty rejected after Matty Brown dived according to the referee, which subsequently led to a free-kick the other way.

Moors endured a heavy storm of dominance from York, but in the end the home side found their goal with seven minutes left. 

A deep free-kick was scooped towards the back post by Olly Dyson, who’s cross landed straight at the feet of Kouhyar at the back post, leaving an easy tap in for the opener.

Minstermen nearly doubled their lead minutes later, as Kouhyar’s goalbound cross needed the stretching fingertips of Amissah to turn the ball over the top of the net.

Dyson nearly turned from provider to goalscorer, when he went on a jinking run through the Spennymoor defence before dragging his shot wide.

Moors almost found an equaliser through Jordan Thewlis in the dying seconds of the game. The substitute was able to take the ball down in the area from a long throw-in, but the forward fired well over the top with the last chance of the game.