Ten-man Boro end their fall

After nine straight league defeats and two games without a goal, Boro finally sparked against a rather pedestrian Spennymoor outfit.

The game seemed to have taken the usual turn when the Durham high-flyers took the lead through a heavily deflected free-kick, but Boro suddenly hit back with some deep-seated resolve.

They struck to level at 1-1 and then almost grabbed what would have been a deserved late winner as Spennymoor creaked under some long overdue pressure.

This result was definitely a platform for the management team of Steve Kittrick and Chris Bolder to build on. And having boasted a degree of confidence in the final stages, more results of that stature and beyond may well wait around a more positive corner.

Tweaks are still to be made, though Kittrick was able to bring skipper Matty Bloor and Paul Robson into the side. Tom Corner came back in after a game on the bench, while the 4-2-2 formation saw Nathan Peat move into the middle of midfield.

The first period of the game was something of a non event, as both teams struggled to contend with the leveller of a swirling wind and a bobbling pitch.

The first shot didn't arrive until just before the break, when Nathan Fisher wriggled free of the Boro shackles and saw his effort deflect just wide of the target.

Caine Winfarrah then found some space of his own at the other end, but he failed to divert Robson's tasty centre on target.

Things took a predictable turn for the worse right on the break, just seconds after Peat collected a yellow card on the half-way line.

Spennymoor were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box, which was whipped goalwards by Kallum Griffiths. The ball took the cruelest of deflections and settled in the back of Nick Draper's net with the keeper wrong-footed.

Boro made a useful start to the new half when Ryan Blott flashed a shot just wide of the Spennymoor post.

But a second yellow card for Peat a minute later gave Boro something of a mountain to climb.

With odds stacked against the hosts, they set about their task in admirable fashion.

In fact, Spennymoor found themselves pinned back for much of the remaining half-hour of football.

Boro's creativity soon began to flow as well, with Bloor smashing inches wide of the post and then Robson bending over the bar from distance.

With 18 minutes left on the clock, Boro made that all-important breakthrough.

Blott's ball into the box kicked off an almighty scramble, which was polished off by the smart toe of centre-back Shane Killock.

The introduction of Jamie Forrester on the left gave Boro a little more verve, and the young winger was unlucky with two great efforts, both of which were saved by Daniel Lowson.

Killock also showed that he wasn't done when he fired in a sweet volley on goal, but the ball darted just past Lowson's upright.

Spennymoor clung on for their away point and they looked relieved on the final whistle.

In contrast, Boro may have felt a little aggrieved after their late charge, but the point gained was a solid footstep on what could be a path to recovery.