Spennymoor Town FC

Report

Spennymoor were punished for wasting a host of golden chances as Hereford inflicted a fourth defeat in six games for Jason Ainsley’s side.

Lance Smith punished the hosts shortly after the half-hour mark, firing a low shot into the corner following a good initial save from Matt Gould.

Jake Hibbs presented The Bulls with the chance to double their lead three minutes before the break when he fouled Tom Owen-Evans in the area, and the Hereford man duly obliged as he swept home the spot-kick.

A drab and eventless second half period, which featured little in the way of goal mouth action followed, with Rowan Liburd almost profiting from a short back pass from Rob Atkinson.

Jason Ainsley, who was missing a cluster of key first team players through injury and suspension, made three changes to the side who drew with Alfreton, brining in Kris Thackray, Callum Williams and Rob Atkinson.

Stephen Brogan missed out through illness, Shane Henry was unavailable and Scott Harrison served his one match suspension. Ainsley was also without Mark Anderson, Rob Ramshaw and Andrew Johnson.

Moors should have taken the lead fifteen minutes in when Jack Diamond was played through one-on-one, but his attempted lob bobbled wide. The Sunderland loanee had the rampaging Jamie Chandler for company, but failed to play the midfielder in for a certain goal.

Glen Taylor then saw his powerful goal-bound header cleared off the line and onto the bar from the impressive Jak Hickman. The Moors striker, who was looking to edge towards the 30-goal mark for the season, was frustrated on an off day for him and the majority of the Spennymoor squad.

He headed a Hibbs free-kick over the bar shortly after, before Diamond stung the palms of Matt Yates, who in truth, was rarely tested.

There was a sense, especially given the recent run of form and lack of confidence qthrouhgohut the side, that those missed chances would come back to haunt Moors, and that proved the case when Smith was on hand to fire in a loose ball.

Gould saved Kyle Finn’s initial shot from close range, but the energetic and creative Hereford striker powered the ball into the far corner, leaving Moors’ keeper with no chance.

With the momentum of the game now swinging heavily in favour of The Bulls, Hibbs clumsily brought down Owen-Evans was Moors conceded yet another penalty – a common theme this calendar year.

Owen-Evans converted the resulting spot-kick himself to give Hereford a healthy half-time lead, and it was a lead which rarely looked like it was in trouble during a poor second half showing from Spennymoor.

Chandler almost lofted a hooked effort from the edge of the box in as the game drew to a close, but in truth, it just wasn’t Spennymoor’s day.

Moors host Guiseley on Tuesday evening looking to secure a first win in six games.