Moors slipped to third in the National League North table after suffering their second defeat of the season at the hands of Blyth Spartans at Croft Park on Bank Holiday Monday.
A Nicky Deverdics penalty in first half stoppage time and a clever finish from Will McGowan midway through the second half were enough to ensure it was Spartans who took the honours in Northumberland.
Jamie Chandler shuffled his pack for a second game in three days as Michael Ledger came back into the side after a hamstring worry, while Mark Anderson and Callum Ross both returned.
There was good tempo if not goalmouth action during the opening exchanges, but it was the hosts who began to emerge as an attacking threat as things settled down.
Nicky Deverdics was pulling the strings and his ball over the top set the dangerous Cedric Main away through the middle, with Ben Pollock doing enough to stop the Spartans front man in his tracks. Some of the home crowd screamed for a penalty but the referee was well placed to wave away any protests.
There was further danger for Moors on 10 minutes when Deverdics’ deep cross from the right was headed back across goal to Michael Liddle who attempted to shoot on the turn but couldn’t generate the power to trouble James Montgomery.
Main came close to opening the scoring on 17 minutes. Again, Deverdics was the architect, hanging a ball into the box where the Spartans striker rose to nod his effort off the cross bar.
Moors began to feel their way into the game and Glen Taylor scampered away down the left to cross for Will Harris who tried an acrobatic effort on the turn which flashed too high.
Rob Ramshaw fired a powerful drive too close to former Moors keeper Dan Langley who claimed easily, before Mark Anderson’s corner was met by Lebrun Mbeka only for his header to fly over.
A decisive moment arrived in first half stoppage time when a prolonged Spartans attack saw numerous shots blocked before the ball fell to Will McGowan, who cleverly turned away from Josh Doherty before being upended. The referee pointed to the spot and Deverdics fired his penalty past Montgomery to hand Blyth a half time lead.
Moors suffered a blow early in the second half when Mark Anderson was forced off on a stretcher following a coming together with Deverdics, the midfielder going straight to hospital for checks.
The setback seemed to hit Chandler’s men psychologically and, as they attempted to clear their heads, Blyth got on top and could have doubled their advantage when Deverdics clipped a 22-yard free-kick off the bar.
At the other end, Sam Fielding’s corner from the left caused chaos inside the home side’s six-yard area before being smuggled clear, while Main had another chance on goal but got crowded out.
However, Spartans did go 2-0 up on 68 minutes. Moors failed to clear their lines effectively and, when the ball was worked to McGown on the right side of the area, he cleverly jinked on to his right foot to chip a neat finish past Montgomery.
The Moors keeper had to make a big save to prevent Main from making it 3-0 after he escaped through on goal after more hesitant defending from the visitors.
Danny Greenfield made a difference from the bench and his cross was chested down by Ramshaw for Taylor to volley on goal but the effort flashed just too high.
Greenfield carved out another chance for Taylor near the end when he lifted a cross in from the right but this time Dan Langley was well placed to tip over the header and help Blyth through to the final whistle.
Full Time: Blyth Spartans 2 Moors 0
Blyth Spartans: Langley, Evans, Liddle, Clarke (Arnison 82), Cousin-Dawson, Bodenham, Hickey, Forbes, Deverdics, Main (Aitken 90), McGowan.
Subs not used: Round, Shaw, Oliver.
Moors: Montgomery, Ledger (McKeown 57), Mbeka, Pollock, Staunton, Doherty, Anderson (Fielding 54), Ross, Ramshaw, Harris (Greenfield 73), Taylor.
Subs not used: Curtis, Shanks.
Booked: Ledger (14), Ramshaw (90)
Referee: Helen Conley
Attendance: 1,279
