Loan star Harvey is spot on to end Boro’s FA Trophy jinx at Spennymoor

After a cagey game finished goalless after 90 minutes, the shoot-out came down to Boro loanee Harvey Vincent holding his nerve to convert the decisive spot-kick and send the visitors through to the third round.

With both sides currently struggling in the National League North, the distraction of the FA Trophy competition was an opportunity to hopefully gain some much-needed confidence.

However, Boro were dealt a double injury blow ahead of the game, with Luca Colville and Alex Purver Hannan both ruled out, leading to Mo Fadera and Lewis Maloney starting at The Brewery Field.

The visitors created the first chance, Jack Waldron lifting over the bar when well placed on the edge of the area.

But it was then Spennymoor who saw two good opportunities go begging, both falling to winger Junior Mondal.

For the first chance, the Moors attacker latched onto a loose ball and flicked just wide of goal from 15 yards out. A better opportunity quickly followed, this time Mondal steadying himself outside the box before sending a low shot skidding across goal but once again narrowly wide.

At the other end Rio Allan stretched to win possession in the Spennymoor final third, but he was unable to get enough power on his eventual effort at Moors keeper Brad James with a low drive.

The Boro striker quickly created another chance, racing clear down the right, but his effort on goal was parried away from danger by James.

In the second half, Scarborough keeper Ryan Whitley was forced into an early save, diving to his right to turn the ball away from danger after a Jack Young long-range effort.

Shortly afterwards a scramble in the Boro penalty area required three defensive blocks to keep out the hosts’ attackers Glen Taylor and Danny Johnson as they tried to grab the opening goal.

On 68 minutes Fadera almost gave Boro the lead, as he ghosted past a couple of defenders out on the left before striking the foot of the post with a right footed shot.

Allan was still pushing for a goal, lifting well over when well placed as time ticked on.

Matty Johnson sent an angled header over the bar and onto the roof of the Boro net, before Lewis Maloney’s late free-kick out on the right for Boro needed turning over the crossbar by a backpedalling James.

There was still tie for the hosts to nearly snatch a late winner with the last kick of normal time, sub Matty Dolan curling a 20-yard shot that flicked the crossbar on its way over Ryan Whitley’s goal.

With the game finishing 0-0 after normal time, the game headed straight to penalties.

In the shoot-out, after two successful penalties each, Moors blinked first as Cam Salkeld fired wide after a hurried build-up, Dom Tear stepping up next for Boro to press home the advantage and make it 3-2 to the visitors.

Ryan Whitley then guessed the right way to deny Holcroft, but with the chance to win it Harry Green put his spot-kick over the bar to give Spennymoor a sniff again, Young then rolled in his penalty to put the pressure on youngster Harvey Vincent with the responsibility of the final spot-kick for Boro.

The loanee made no mistake to send Scarborough Athletic through to the next round and end a run of 12 straight defeats in the competition.

Boro: Whitley, Weledji, Maloney, Thornton (c), Allan, Wiles, Tear, Fadera (Vincent 87’), Brown, Waldron (Green 46’), Hull. Unused subs: Stuttard, McDonald.

Yellow cards: Thornton

Spennymoor: James, Taylor (c) (Bennett 64’), Ramshaw, Mondal (Rehman 80’), Eguaibor, Palmer (Salkeld 64’), Young, Holcroft, Ceesay, Johnson (Dolan 80’), Digbeu. Unused sSub: Urwin.

Yellow cards: Mondal and Bennett.

Attendance: 865 (123 Boro fans”.

Boro MOM: Alex Wiles.