Buddle bundles late winner

Nathan Buddle’s late goal sealed a dramatic win for Spennymoor following a fiery contest with Chester at The Brewery Field.

Buddle connected with his shoulder from a corner, with the ball rebounding between Jamie Morgan and Louis Gray before settling into the net.

Jason Ainsley made five changes to the side who began the defeat at Chester on Tuesday evening, with three enforced due to injuries.

Jordan Boon, Ryan Hall and Carl Magnay all picked up knocks during the week, meaning Buddle, Stephen Thompson and Adam Blakeman came into the side.

Blakeman, who was starting his first league game for the club, came in at left back, meaning the versatile Scott McLean switched to the opposite side.

Ainsley opted to switch his central midfield pairing, with Jamie Spencer and Mark Anderson replacing Jason Kennedy and Adriano Moke.

Moors created the game’s first opening when Anderson exchanged passes with Glen Taylor in the area, but his driven cross was cleared under pressure.

The visitors, smarting from dumping Moors out of the FA Cup on Tuesday, took the lead after twelve minutes and it arrived from their first corner of the afternoon.

The centre back pairing of Danny Livesey and Simon Grand combined, the the latter heading across goal, allowing Livesey to slide in from close range.

Moors recovered from that set back and created chances midway through the first half, with McLean’s shot being deflected wide before Spencer struck the post from distance.

The pressure finally told after 34 minutes when an equaliser arrived from a familiar source or goals already this season.

After James Curtis did well to win a free-kick on the edge of the area, Taylor stepped up and drilled a low shot past the helpless Louis Gray, claiming his fifth goal in four games.

Moors were fortunate not to find themselves behind five minutes after the restart when a loose pass allowed George Glendon to link up with John Johnston, but Dale Eve denied the winger with a big stop.

Grand, a constant threat from corners, headed wide from the resulting set piece delivery.

The contest increased in intensity and threatened to boil over at times, but Moors eventually got a grip on proceedings following a slow start to the second half.

Rob Ramshaw linked up with Thompson down the left before whipping in a perfect cross for the unmarked Taylor, but his first time effort went just past the post.

Chester were the more accomplished side as the second half progressed and went close when Johnston’s cross was turned over by Jamie Morgan, before Johnston should have scored himself, but skewed a tame shot straight at Eve.

With the game looking certain to end all square, Moors forced a corner following a rare adventure forward in a tough second half.

McLean’s delivery rebounded in the area among a sea of bodies before the ball ended up in the back of the net, sparking wild celebrations on the Moors bench.

A tense ending ensued as Chester piled on the pressure, but Moors hung on for a huge three points ahead of a two-week break.