So close yet so far for brave Moors!!!

Spennymoor crashed out of the FA Cup on Tuesday night but only after a monumental effort.

Moors were leading 2-0 in the tie with ninety minutes on the clock and surely on their way through to the first round proper on Saturday afternoon, when the referee decided to add on another 8 minutes of stoppage time.  In that added time Adam Farrell managed to score twice and canceled out Joe Tait's and Liam Henderson's earlier strikes.

http://youtu.be/fTvPh7gq9PQ

Jason Ainsley was understandably disappointed with referee's Ryan Johnson and the time that was added on, the Moors manager also had been aggrieved at the decision not to award his team a penalty.

Although obviously unhappy with the final result Spennymoor showed that they could fight it out with the big boys and would have gone into the replay at The New Bucks Head on Tuesday with a belief that they had nearly beaten the Conference team once and their would be no reason why they couldn't do it again.

Unfortunately for the Moors it wasn't to be as Telford made the most of their home advantage and in the end ran out 3-0 winners.

Another goal from Andy Farrell  and a brace from Mike Grogan was enough to see the Bucks through and into a first round tie away to Basingstoke Town of the Conference South.

Adam Farrell scored 3 goals over the tie.

It's always a shame when your team gets knocked out of the cup but as this is the nature of the glory hunt I have to dump Spennymoor and move on to pastures new.  I'm sorry it's not you its me, I have to follow  the winners of the FA Cup and unfortunately that is something you can't give me.  Its been fun but I'm off.

In all seriousness though I have enjoyed following the Moors through the cup and will continue to look out for them.

Good luck to Jason Ainsley and his boys and I hope they have a very successful season in the league.


Just off topic slightly Spennymoor are hosting an event at the Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club on the 21/11/201.  Top of the bill that night will be none other than 80's soul superstar Alexander O'Neal.

For more information on this and to keep up with Spennymoor Town's progress this season go to their website.
www.spennymoortownfc.co.uk/

Alexander O'Neal, taken at this years Brentwood Festival, taken by good friend of mine Joel Stevens.

If you like the above picture why not go and look at some of his other work
drmonkatron.wix.com/choochoo-films


So it's goodbye to The Moors and on to my next team, I feel so fickle.


Come on you Bucks!!!!

Spennymoor take on Telford.

It's FA Cup time again and it is the final round of the qualifiers.  Spennymoor Town take on AFC Telford Umited from the Conference Premeir.  The Moors come into this game in good form after a convincing 4-1 win in the league in their last outing against Lancaster City.  Spennymoor sit in 5th place in the league with 23 points and due to their impressive cup run so far they have games in hand on their rivals.
   

The Moors must be confident of a an upset in this game, although against opposition from the highest league in the competition so far, Telford remain bottom of the Conference with 10 points from their first 17 games.  The Bucks did however win impressively away in their last encounter turning over Woking 3-1.

Another blow to Telford is the sale of their forward Mike Phenix to league 1 outfit Barnsley.  Phenix scored twice in the last game with Woking, his 5th and 6th goals of the season.  The 25 year old 6ft 1 striker who is also able to play out on the wing is surely going to be a great loss for The Bucks.

Mike Phenix signs for Barnsley.

I remember Telford from the old Vauxhall Conference days back in the 80's.  As a Dagenham fan I remember the Bucks coming to Victoria Road this one time in about 1985.  A small section of young kids were singing some derogatory songs toward the Telford fans, a common occurrence in the mid 80's but I remember my mate Hula Hoop who could have only been about 10 at the time joining in with the song.  Hula Hoop loves a good sing song unfortunately he is forever singing the wrong words to songs, he sang "you look in the dustbin for something to eat, you find a dead cat and you eat it, in your Telford Scarves".     So wrong on so many levels.

In your Telford Scarves.

AFC Telford's man to watch will probably be their number 10 Tony Gray.  30 year old Gray is a former Droylsdon , Southport and Chester striker.

Tony Gray.

The Moors will be coming into this game as underdogs due to the higher level that their opponents play at, but with home advantage and as previously mentioned a good run of form in both cup and league Spennymoor may just have enough to pull off an upset and book their place into the first round proper where a big league 1 team could be waiting.

Good luck to the boys tomorrow.

Up the Moors!!

Spennymoor march on!!

Moors are through to the 4th qualifying round of the FA cup after a 75th minute penalty from Joe Tait proved to be just enough to dispatch Ashton United.

The penalty had been awarded in somewhat controversial circumstances Gavin Cogdon was put through and out came Ashton keeper Paul Phillips and duly brought down the Moors striker.  A yellow card was brandished to the Robins stopper and he was lucky not to be in more trouble as he disputed the decision.  In all fairness to Phillip's he did have a bit of a case as after watching the penalty incident the contact looks to be made just outside the box, but it is not clear and in the end it is fair play to the Spennymoor centre back who kept his cool and delivered an unstoppable spot kick into the top right hand corner.

Match winner Joe Tait.

Before the goal both teams had their chances and both had goals disallowed.  moors thought they had taken the lead on 21 minutes through Michael Roberts, only for the linesman's flag to quash the celebrations.  Later in the half  Ashton thought they had taken lead when Jack Higgins rose to head home a corner but unfortunately for the Robins the referee had already blown for a foul on the Spennymoor keeper Adam McHugh.

Ashton were more the dominant team in the second half and when Moors scored it was slightly against the run of play.  After the goal Spennymoor had to withstand heavy pressure but Tait and the rest of his back four stood firm and managed to hang on to a very important cup victory which puts them in the next round.

The draw for the final qualifying round took place yesterday and the Moors have secured a home tie against AFC Telford United of the Conference Premier.

This is obviously a great tie for Spennymoor being at home is always an advantage but playing a team fron the conference should also bring some punters in.  AFC Telford United are currently rock bottom of the top tier of non league football so it maybe a very good time to play them.

In other news Moors have signed a new striker this week.  Nathan Fisher is the newest addition to the Spennymoor squad.  25 year old Fisher has joined from Darlington, a former Middlesborough youth player he has had spells for Durham City, Chester-le-Street Town and Gateshead before joining the Quakers in 2013.

New signing Nathan Fisher.

The moors march on and who knows how far they can now go in this competition.

Good luck to Ashton United for the rest of the season as well.

http://youtu.be/G1XIaXs5lGo  Here are the highlights.

www.spennymoortownfc.co.uk/  Read the match report here.

Up the Moors!!

Spennymoor Town

The FA cup 3rd qualifying round kicks off over this weekend and my new glory hunt team Spennymoor Town are taking on Ashton United.  Spennymoor overcome my last FA Cup team Dunston UTS, whereas Ashton United toppled the class of 92 part owned, glory hunters dream team Salford City in a reply.


Spennymoor Town play in theNorthern Premier league division 1 North, they currently sit in 5th place having played 10 games with 20 points.

The Moors play their home matches at the Brewery Field ground in County Durham.  The grounds capacity is 4000.  The average attendance is about 420.

Spennymoor are managed by Jason Ainsley who is now in his 9th season as Moors boss.  A former player for the club he also played for Hartlepool, Gateshead, Blyth Spartans and Barrow.

Jason's assistant manager at the club is former Wimbledon player Gavin Fell.

Club Captain Chris Mason has been with the club 6 seasons and last year the former Darlington defender lead the Moors to promotion from the Northern League Division 1.  Almost twelve months before he had lifted the FA Vase at Wembley after a 2-1 victory over Tunbridge Wells in the final.

Spennymoor's biggest threat up front has got to be Liam Henderson.  Last term the former Watford youngster  notched 47 goals in his debut season for the Moors, an impressive tally at any level.  At only 24 and with all his best years still ahead of him Jason Ainsley may have trouble keeping hold of his star man.

Tomorrows opponents Ashton United are Division above Spennymoor and are currently 19th in the Northern Premier league Premier Division on 12 points.


Good luck to the Moors tomorrow and hopefully I can follow them through the next couple of pre lim rounds and into the first round proper.

Up the Moors!!

www.spennymoortownfc.co.uk
If you want to visit the clubs website click the link above, to find out more about the club and it's history.