Walker fires Scarborough Athletic to vital home win against play-off rivals Spennymoor

It wasn’t the most exciting of games, but two evenly-matched teams grafted throughout on the bumpy pitch, and a single Ste Walker goal, his 17th of the season, coupled with some terrific defending near the end, secured the vital three points for Jono Greening’s side.

Luca Colville, back after suspension, was superb for Boro, and had the first shot, sending a half-volley just over, then he passed to Alex Brown, whose cross was plucked off the head of Richie Bennett by Moors keeper Brad James.

For the visitors, Rob Ramshaw sent a through ball to Louis Stephenson, who was tackled by Brown, and a Mackenzie Heaney cross was grabbed by Ryan Whitley off the boot of Ramshaw.

An Alex Purver free-kick into a crowded goalmouth saw both Kieran Weledji and Will Thornton have shots blocked by the packed defence, then Ben Pollock headed clear when Jack Waldron dinked over a cross towards Walker.

A Weledji cross was headed out by Pollock into the path of Bennett, who shot narrowly wide, and the big striker also fired over a few minutes later. Just before the break Spennymoor went close, when a Tom Broadbent header was cleared off the goal-line by Purver.

Spennymoor began the second half well, a Heaney ball into the box was tapped home by Junior Mondal, who strayed offside, Heaney surged forward but was stopped by a Waldron tackle, then Bennett hacked clear when Ramshaw burst into the box.

Boro, Walker fizzed the ball across the goalmouth and Brown had a couple of runs down the left flank, before the deadlock was broken with a route one goal.

Keeper Whitley’s long kick upfield was flicked on by Bennett to Walker, whose fierce shot was well saved by James, but Walker slotted home the loose ball. A Colville free-kick was headed inches wide by the impressive Jake Hull.

Will Thornton intercepted when Glen Taylor passed forward to the lively Corey McKeown, Ramshaw and Mondal both fired into the chest of Whitley, and Brown tackled McKeown when he charged into the area as Spennymoor searched for an equaliser.

A Lewis Maloney free-kick was headed on by Hull into the goalmouth, but Dan Jones scrambled clear before Walker could apply a finish, and Bennett headed wide from a Colville corner.

Late on, Taylor hooked the ball into the path of Hartlepool loanee Kian Foreman, whose ferocious shot was brilliantly tipped wide by Whitley, and Frank Nouble drove a free-kick into the five-man wall, as Boro held on for the three points.

BORO - Whitley, Brown, Duckworth (Maloney 64), Hull, Thornton (c), Purver, Walker, Weledji, Bennett (Allan 82), Waldron, Colville, unused subs - Green, Mensah, Shehu.

SPENNYMOOR - James, Jones, Beals (Mondal 33), Stephenson (Foreman 87), Pollock, Broadbent (Hill 68), Heaney, Williams (Nouble 78), Taylor (c), Ramshaw, McKeown, unused subs - Johnson (GK), Hancox, Dolan.

REFEREE - Lewis Dawson.

GOAL - Stephen Walker (Boro) 71.

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 9 (2 on target) SPENNYMOOR 5 (4 on target).

CORNERS - BORO 3 SPENNYMOOR 3.

OFFSIDES - BORO 0 SPENNYMOOR 2.

YELLOW CARD - Kieran Weledji (Boro).

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Luca Colville.

ATTENDANCE - 1,149 (200 Spennymoor).