Glen Taylor scored both goals as Moors booked their place in the last 16 of the FA Trophy with a commanding display at Hampton & Richmond Borough, report the club on their website.
The front man powered home a header from a corner in the closing stages of the first half before sealing victory with another in the second period as a buoyant travelling support were sent home happy.
Graeme Lee made two changes to his line-up as Callum Ross and Will Harris were both rewarded with starting places after encouraging displays from the bench on New Year’s Day.
It was the first competitive meeting between the two sides, and it was the National League South outfit who enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession in the opening exchanges.
However, for all their attractive and patient football, Moors remained resolute and organised – and they began to look more of an attacking threat as the first half developed.
Brad James had to be alert when The Beavers created the first meaningful opportunity of the afternoon, getting down sharply to his left to save from former Moors forward, James Roberts.
Taylor served up a warning to the hosts when the front man turned smartly to shoot from 20 yards after good work from Callum Ross just after the half hour mark.
Five minutes later he was on the scoresheet. Olly Dyson hung a corner up to the far post from the left and Taylor stormed in to attack it and sent a towering header beyond keeper Ted Curd for 1-0.
Lee’s side came out quickly at the start of the second half too and Harris could have doubled the lead when he got on the end of Dyson’s cross, but he glanced his header just wide of the far post.
On 51 minutes Corey McKeown nearly got the second. A ball was fizzed into the box towards the forward, and he killed it dead with his first touch before seeing his goalbound shot well blocked.
Beavers substitute, Krystian Campbell tried to take matters into his own hands midway through the second half when he drove forward to let fly from distance but again James was smartly down to collect.
Taylor looked odds-on for his second after brilliant play by Rob Ramshaw. The midfielder stole possession on the halfway line and drove forward to feed Taylor, only for the striker to hit his shot straight at Curd.
However, the club’s record goalscorer did add further to his tally on 80 minutes. A wonderful move from Moors saw the ball worked into substitute, Junior Mondal in the area; he laid it off to Reece Staunton who then delivered in inviting cross into the front post where it was tucked home clinically by Taylor.
Things turned ugly unexpectedly in injury time when the referee had to deal with a couple of comings-together between the two teams, the latter leading to a red card shown to the home side’s Roberts.
Moors have been handed a home draw against Boston United in the fifth round of the competition with the tie scheduled to take pace on 1 February.
As Spennymoor News goes to press, a pitch inspection is set to take place to determine whether this weekend’s home fixture against Alfreton Town will go ahead.
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
