Spennymoor Town FC moved to within a point of the National League North play-off positions with a battling 3-1 win over Farsley Celtic at The Brewery Field on Easter Monday.
Graeme Lee’s side were clearly determined to issue an instant response after seeing their remarkable seven-game winning streak ended at the hands of South Shields on Good Friday.
They did it the hard way against The Celt Army though, recovering from the setback of conceding an early goal to produce a resilient performance and clinch three important points.
Lee made four changes to his starting eleven, with Glen Taylor and Ben Pollock both unavailable through injury.
As a result, Will Harris returned to the attack and Gary Liddle was handed a debut in the centre of defence, while John Lufudu and Finley Shrimpton were also restored to the line-up.
Conditions were tricky for both sides after heavy rain meant a heavy pitch, a contributing factor in an early injury to Matty Dolan who was forced off inside quarter of an hour after a sliding challenge left him with a gash just below the knee.
Moors struggled to get into a rhythm and suffered a further setback on 17 minutes when Farsley took the lead. A ball into the box wasn’t dealt with, and that allowed Ben Atkinson to stroke an opening goal past Brad James.
It took Lee’s side a little time to clear their heads but slowly and surely, they got back into the game, coming close to levelling just before the half hour when Rob Ramshaw’s inviting cross was well cleared by visiting defender Tom Allan.
Danny Greenfield did well to win a free kick on the edge of the box on 35 minutes and when Reece Staunton’s whipped shot over the wall was parried by keeper Zan Leban, Greenfield reacted quickest to get to the loose ball before being upended by a defender.
Will Harris rammed home the resultant penalty to level the game.
Another wonderful cross from Ramshaw could have seen Moors in front less than two minutes later but Greenfield could only steer his shot into the side netting.
Moors began the second half with greater purpose and Corey McKeown could have given the hosts the lead when he turned menacingly inside from the left but sent his curling shot just too high.
There was more anxiety at the back for Farsley on 55 minutes when Lebrun Mbeka lifted a teasing cross into the box which was met by Ramshaw, but his looping header was brilliantly tipped over by Leban.
Moors were in control but just needed that moment of luck or invention to unlock the opposition defence – and it arrived on 72 minutes.
Staunton’s corner was cleared partially before being worked back out to the full-back who whipped a wicked cross into the far post, deceiving Leban to find its way into the top corner.
Harris could have made the game safe eight minutes from time when Ramshaw seized on a sloppy touch from Allan to feed the front man through on goal but the keeper did just enough to turn his shot wide.
However, there was no such luck for Farsley just afterwards when Harris returned the favour by slotting Ramshaw through on goal, and with the visitors caught upfield, the midfield star tucked home his tenth league goal of the season to secure the win.
This weekend, Moors travel to Scarborough Athletic on Saturday before hosting Banbury United in midweek.
Then it’s a trip to Alfreton Town on Saturday 13 before what may prove a pivotal final day of the regular season on 20 April when King’s Lynn visit The Brewery Field.
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
