Derby dugout drama as Moors and Quakers share the spoils
SPOILS were shared in a fiery Durham derby that saw both sets of managers sent off in injury time.
Spennymoor took the lead in the second half through Jordan Thewlis, but his opener was cancelled out by Mark Beck.
Former Middlesbrough midfielder Ben Liddle made his first start for Darlington as Marcus Maddison dropped to the bench, while Kaine Felix was preferred to Jacob Hazel.
Spennymoor named an unchanged eleven from last week’s 1-0 win against Leamington.
Spennymoor enjoyed an early spell of pressure, Jude Oyibo found himself one-on-one but was unable to get his shot away.
Just a minute later the midfielder would manage to take a pop, but it was deflected behind for a corner.
The first big chance of the game fell in the 18th minute when Joe Tait’s header across goal was met by Glen Taylor, but the forward directed his header over the bar.
Momentum began to swing in the direction of Darlington in the 28th minute, with a succession of Beck headers proving unable to break the deadlock as Max Metcalfe was called into action for the first time.
The Moors created their best chance of the half in the 39th minute with clever link-up play between G Taylor and Oyibo allowing the latter to get a shot away that was turned behind for a corner.
The hosts came out the more energetic side in the second half. Rob Ramshaw almost broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute but Tommy Taylor was able to save from point-blank range to keep the game goalless.
T Taylor would not be able to prevent Thewlis seven minutes later. The Man of the Match was quickest to react when G Taylor’s shot came back into an inviting area off the post, leaving him with little to do to open the scoring.
The lead only lasted ten minutes however, as Beck grabbed an equalis
er for the visitors. His initial shot was blocked but the forward was fortunate for the ball to come back into his path as he beat Metcalfe at his near post on the half-volley to level the score.
Scott Duxbury almost regained the lead for Spennymoor with a driving run into the box forcing a save out of T Taylor who could only turn it around his post. From the resulting corner G
Taylor’s shot was headed goal bound but it was blocked on the line.
The Quakers had a late chance as Hazel worked his way into the box, but he couldn’t work an angle and rifled his shot over the bar under pressure from the Spennymoor defence.
Tempers rose in injury time after a foul on Jack Lambert ignited an altercation in the dugout amongst the opposing sets of management, which the majority of the players got involved in.
It is unclear exactly what was said but both Bernard Morley and Alun Armstrong were sent off.
SPENNYMOOR TOWN: Metcalfe, Cousin-dawson, Tait, Curtis ©, Duxbury, Chandler, Wheatley (Greenfield), Ramshaw, Oyibo (Preston), Thewlis (Watt), G. Taylor Subs: Ludufu, Ledger
DARLINGTON: T. Taylor, Sukar, Lawlor, Griffiths, Hedley, Liddle (Maddison), Moke ©, Purver (Hazel), Lambert, Beck, Felix (Mondal) Subs: Rivers, Emery