FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round

SPENNYMOOR TOWN v LEEK TOWN – 15 November 2014

After three traumatic results in cup and league Spennymoor are looking to get back on track with a game in the FA Trophy against Leek Town who play at the same level but in the NPL Division 1 South. The day is cool, grey and still, with a few hundred in the ground expecting an even contest.

From the start it is end to end stuff, but it is the combination play of Capper and Peacock on the Spennymoor left that catches the eye. They win a thirteenth minute corner, taken short to Capper whose in-swinging cross takes a touch off a defender and sails over the keeper’s dive into the far corner of the net.

Leek respond with forwards Grice and Shotton, big lads both, looking dangerous. And when Spennymoor centre half Chris Mason fails to cut out a cross, the ball falls to Grice; his chipped shot is going wide until Shotton appears at the far post to nod it into the goal.

The equaliser is slightly against the run of play, but Spennymoor get back in front before half time when Shane Henry slots a perfect ball through for Micky Roberts to run onto and steer home.

In the second half Leek benefit from playing down the hill and (a familiar story to previous cup games here) Spennymoor are forced ever deeper as high balls rain in on their (Joe Tait apart) undersized defence. Sure enough, midway through the half, it is a high ball into the box that Shotton controls on his chest before volleying in a second equaliser. Ten minutes later it is a Leek free kick into the box that finds full back Dicker leaping high to head in at the far post, putting Leek ahead for the first time.

Spennymoor dredge up some reserves and attack while Leek fall back to defend what they have. Into time added on, with tension high, substitute Kinsey has an altercation with the referee that ends with a red card and Leek down to ten men, probably too late to matter. He takes an age to leave the pitch so it is three or four minutes after the ninety before the game can restart; even so Spennymoor move it forward patiently down the left, from where a good cross finds the head of substitute, makeshift centre forward Paul Johnson, who firmly heads home the latest of equalisers.

A great game ends 3-3 and it is off to the Potteries for a mid-week replay

ELSEWHERE

Darlington 1883’s trip to Cambridgeshire ended with a 3-1 defeat at St Neots Town.

FA Trophy state of play: 1 replaying, 1 out.