Moors settle for a point to keep them in play-off places

SPENNYMOOR’S stop-start campaign continued with a 2-2 draw at the Brewery Field against 10-man Bradford Park Avenue.

Jason Ainsley named an unchanged starting line-up from Moors last outing away at Southport, but the break in games looked to have stifled the home side’s momentum as it was Bradford PA who took an early lead.

Luca Havern threaded a lovely ball between defenders James Curtis and Nathan Buddle for Lewis Knight who was able to round goalkeeper Dale Eve before sliding into an empty net.

Midway through the first half Spennymoor began to find their feet and Rob Ramshaw should have got his side back on terms after a neat one-two with Glen Taylor.

The frontman nodded down into the path of an unmarked Ramshaw in the area but he dragged his effort wide of Dan Atkinson’s post.

Moors almost drew level before the interval when Buddle met Adam Blakeman’s corner but the defender had to generate the power himself and could only loop his header onto the top of the crossbar.

The second half began with Havern almost doubling Bradford PA’S lead when he was able to bring Knight’s freekick down in the area to turn and fire beyond the post.

Knight almost scored one of the goals of the season on the hour mark when he tried his luck from all of 30 yards after Eve’s punched clearance, but the effort clipped the top of the bar and went over.

A frustrated Moors continued to struggle to carve out any real openings as Ainsley used all three substitutes to change the game.

And it was one of those substitutes who found the breakthrough in the 78th minute as Hall was able to guide a superb volley beyond Atkinson from just inside the area after Jamie Spencer’s flick on.

A long ball over the top coupled with Buddle’s untimely slip allowed Knight to pick the ball up on the left of the area where he advanced towards goal and curled superbly beyond the outstretched Eve into the far corner.

The drama wasn’t over though as two minutes after taking the lead Bradford PA were reduced to 10 men as Toulson was dismissed for an off-the-ball incident with Taylor.

And Moors made the man advantage count six minutes from time as Scott Mclean’s excellent cross was guided into the corner by the head of Taylor.