Scarborough Athletic battle hard for a point on the road at Spennymoor

Unchanged from the resounding win against Hereford, Boro were slow to get going, as the hosts edged a lacklustre first half, but Boro upped a gear after the break, and were the better side in a much more exciting second period, writes Steve Adamson.

Spennymoor included two players who had loan spells with Boro last season, Danny Greenfield and Manny Ilesanmi.

Under new boss Graeme Lee, the Moors were on top in the early stages, without ever really looking like scoring.

The only shots on target in the first half both coming from striker Will Harris inside the first 10 minutes, and both were easily saved by Boro keeper Ryan Whitley, who handled confidently throughout.

Callum Ross had a shot blocked by Alex Purver, then Connor Shanks passed to Ross, who raced into the area, but was halted by Purver’s tackle, a stinging Greenfield strike was blocked by Will Thornton, and Dom McHale blocked an effort from Shanks.

Boro looked strong defensively, with Kieran Weledji, Alex Brown, Thornton and Bailey Gooda once again in fine form, and Purver, Wiles, Green, Colville and McHale passed the ball around, but they struggled to get forward.

Their only goal attempt of the first half came three minutes before the interval, when Harry Green sent a ball towards the near post, and Aidan Rutledge side-footed narrowly wide.

Other attacks saw Rutledge set up Alex Wiles, but Sam Fielding’s strong tackle averted the danger, and Brown passed to Wiles inside the area, but Lebrun Mbeka closed him down.

After a disappointing first 45 minutes, Boro were much sharper in the second half, with Alex Purver dominant in midfield, and flair players Green, McHale and Colville at last starting to display their ball skills. Green twice flashed shots wide.

Then on 54 minutes the impressive Wiles surged forward and laid off to Green who was fouled just outside the area. Rutledge fired the free-kick round the wall (Boro’s first shot on target) but keeper James Montgomery got down to save comfortably.

The deadlock was broken four minutes later, when McHale cut in from the right and passed forward to Wiles, who raced into the area, and squared across the goalmouth, for Green to slam home his 12th goal of the season.

Spennymoor had a great chance to equalise just two minutes later, when Greenfield’s cross from the left was met by Michael Ledger on the six-yard line, but he headed wide of the left-hand lost.

Boro looked capable of adding to their lead, Green having a shot deflected wide by Mbeka, then the corner from Green was fisted away by Montgomery towards Wiles, whose shot was blocked on the line by Ledger.

The hosts drew level on the counter-attack, when Shanks burst forward and sent a great ball out to Sam Fielding on the left, and his low ball into the area was tapped in from close range by skipper Rob Ramshaw - the first goal Boro had conceded in 479 minutes play.

Late on, Weledji did well to block a shot from Shanks, while Boro’s best chance saw McHale pass to Green, whose strike was charged down by Mbeka.

SPENNYMOOR - Montgomery, Staunton, Ross, Ledger, Mbeka, Harris (Ilesanmi 74), Fielding, Ramshaw (c), Ferguson, Shanks (Anderson 85), Greenfield (McKeown 64).

BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, McHale, Thornton (c), Gooda, Purver, Wiles, Rutledge (Tear 78), Green, Colville.

REFEREE - Shaun Taylor

GOALS - SPENNYMOOR - Rob Ramshaw 75; BORO - Harry Green 58

CORNERS - SPENNYMOOR 6 BORO 7GOAL ATTEMPTS - SPENNYMOOR 6 (3 on target) BORO 7 (3 on target)

YELLOW CARDS - SPENNYMOOR - Will Harris, Keenan Ferguson; BORO - Harry Green.

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Purver.

ATTENDANCE - 1,178 (169 away)