SPENNYMOOR
TOWN v ASHTON UNITED - 11 October 2014
For the second round in succession the two
remaining featured teams are close to hand, both at home today, but Spennymoor get
the nod this week as they face Ashton United. It is my first visit to the
Brewery Field this season, and last year’s promotion puts them just one step below
their visitors. The weather is bright, still and crisp, and there is a decent
crowd by the time the teams come out.
A minute’s silence is observed prior to
kick-off, for reasons unknown and unstated, but impeccably observed nevertheless.
The kits today are old-fashioned; black and white stripes for Spennymoor and
red and white halves for Ashton.
Spennymoor start downhill and start well,
bossing the play without threatening too much until twenty minutes in when a
header from a corner has Ashton keeper Phillips scrabbling at the foot of the
post. Moors then get even closer to a goal when Peacock robs a defender and smuggles
the ball to Roberts to knock into the net, but from a position judged offside.
Ashton recover and slowly turn the tide,
winning a few corners, and even getting one of them into the net but this too is
disallowed, for a foul on the keeper. However it is indicative of the way the
half is now going with Spennymoor getting rattled as shots rain in, a couple of
long range efforts going wide and the one on target, from the quick (and
splendidly named) centre forward Martin Pilkington is tamely hit straight at
the beleaguered McHugh in goal.
The half time whistle is welcome respite for
the home team and fans, but there is little change from the restart, with the
visitors now going down the slope. Ashton’s left winger, Coppin, is troubling
Moors full back Griffiths who is booked early on and then has to concede too
much room when his opponent cuts inside and flashes a cross shot past the far
post.
Next, Pilkington engineers a neat turn on the
edge of the box to leave Mason and Capper in his wake as he angles in on goal,
but McHugh stands up well and blocks the shot to preserve the status quo.
Twenty minutes into the half Spennymoor
manager Jason Ainsley makes a change bringing on two old favourites (to me
surprisingly) omitted from the starting line-up – Graydon in midfield and
Cogden up front. Within five minutes the speedy Cogden races after a ball down
the channel, just toe-ending it past the out-rushing keeper and then going down
with a somersault. Ashton contest the referee’s decision that it was both a
foul, and that it was in the area.
They lose the appeal, and centre half Tait
steps up to hammer home the spot kick to give Moors a lead against the run of
play.
Ashton sense an upset and redouble their
efforts, raiding full back Coo is particularly eye-catching. A free kick is parried
by McHugh but then needs tidying up by the defence. In a rare Spennymoor counter
attack a fierce shot from Griffiths is spilled by Phillips, but when Stephenson
gathers and crosses, Henderson side-foots wide.
The lead looks slender now with Spennymoor
backs to the wall. When McHugh comes for a teasing cross, he misses his punch
and the crowd hold their breath until a couple of defenders do the necessary
and see the ball into a back garden.
But that is the last panic and Spennymoor
hang on through the four added minutes to record a good win and passage to the
last qualifying round.
ELSEWHERE
Shildon held their own against Southern
League Premier opposition, drawing 0-0 with Stourbridge.
FA Cup state of play after the Third Qualifying
Round: 2 yet to start, 1 through, 1 replaying, and 9 out.
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