These two sides are the only teams in the Evo-Stik Division 1 North to have unbeaten league records, so a draw was probably a predictable result in this tie.
However, when Glossop North End make the long trip to the North East on Tuesday evening for the replay they will reflect that they probably should have sewn the game up at home.
It started badly though, with Spennymoor taking the lead in the fourth minute. They had started the brighter of the two teams and James Risebrough got behind the full back on the left. He shot across the keeper for the far post, but Greg Hall got down to palm the ball away. However, the rebound headed for the penalty spot where Danny Frost was first to the ball and finished tidily.
Spennymoor were on top for the opening 20 minutes, buoyed by the goal, snuffing out anything that Glossop tried. However, a change in momentum was signalled on 26 minutes when Kieran Lugsden and Astley Mulholland exchanged passes and played in Ashley Stott. Stott had a bit of time and space behind the back four but put his shot from the edge of the area wide.
They were level on 29 minutes though when Eddie Moran did well to win the ball on the right and put in a dangerous low cross. It was knocked away, and a defender blocked a Mulholland drive, but the second rebound was picked up by Tom Bailey, and he curled a low shot past the keeper.
The remainder of the half was a stalemate, with midfields winning out, along Greg Hall had to get down well to make a low save from Liam Henderson’s shot from the edge of the area.
It was a similar story in the 3rd quarter of the game with only a Glenn Taylor snapshot to show from Spennymoor’s graft, whilst Glossop North End’s chance was much closer; Stott’s flick towards goal bouncing off the post into the grateful arms of keeper Joseph Fryer. However as the half went on the visitors noticeably tired chasing what was mainly Glossop possession and the Hillmen stepped up the pressure on the goal.
The best chance fell to Lugsden with 12 minutes to go when a corner was swung in, Dave Young headed down and Lugsden just had to blast it home from inside the 6 yard box. It looked a shoo-in, but Lugsden blasted wide.
Ben Brooks came on to add more pace to Glossop North End attacks, and this lured Paul Johnson into a late tackle at the edge of the box, and he was dismissed for a second yellow card. The free kick was a training ground move that nearly paid off but the ball was pinched off Mulholland’s toes.
Jamie Rainford came off the bench and saw his low shot pushed around the post by Fryer and Lugsden’s cross again needed goalkeeper intervention to prevent Rainford netting. Then Rainford’s curler was just over the bar.
So the two sides must try again on Tuesday. The Hillmen are already dealing with a few injuries, and will now have to also work out who is available to make the long journey north at short notice.
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