By Glen RobertsonNewton Aycliffe’s unbeaten run during the Movember campaign came to an end away at reigning Northern League champions Spennymoor.
Sonny Andrews’ 30th-minute penalty was the difference between the two sides, but the Newtonians have every right to be dismayed at the award of the spot-kick.
It wasn’t the way the team wanted to mark the end of a remarkable month, which has seen four wins and a draw as well as some terrific ‘taches, while Paul Broom didn’t get to celebrate his 100th appearance for the club with a victory.
There were two familiar faces making a return to the Aycliffe squad. New signing Warren Byrne was on the bench after completing his move back from Shildon, while Stephen Richardson returned between the sticks in place of the absent Scott Pocklington.
It was Richardson’s first competitive appearance for Aycliffe since May 2010 and he quickly showed he hadn’t missed a step, saving well from Andrews in the first minute.
Aycliffe managed to muster the best chance of the opening quarter. Dale Jardine released Elliot Gardner down Aycliffe’s left-hand side and his cross found Josh Knox at the far post, but the teenager was unable to beat Craig Turns in the Spennymoor goal.
It was the home side who struck first on the half-hour mark, and in controversial circumstances. From a Spennymoor corner, Darren Craddock appeared to be pushed by Gavin Barton, but the referee adjudged the Aycliffe defender to have leant on Daniel Moore and, to the surprise of even some Spennymoor fans, pointed to the spot.
Andrews stepped up and squeezed his shot underneath Richardson, the Aycliffe ‘keeper getting a hand on the ball but was unable to prevent it squirming over the line. Aycliffe failed to rally before the break and the home side saw out the first period comfortably.
After a first-half devoid of much action, the game sprang to life in the second-half. In the 51st-minute Keith Graydon fired an effort from 25-yards which was parried by Richardson, and Samuel Garvie was unable to find the target with the rebound.
A minute later Graydon tried his luck again from an identical position, but this time his shot fizzed just past Richardson’s right-hand post.
Just 60-seconds later and Aycliffe came agonisingly close to an equaliser. Broom’s free-kick was flicked on by Gardner and John Close powered a header at goal which cannoned back off the crossbar, with Turns stationary.
Spennymoor went straight down the other end of the pitch and Andrews, cutting in from the left onto his favoured right foot, forced a smart stop out of Richardson.
The rest of the game failed to live-up to the level of those frantic five-minutes. Aycliffe introduced Byrne, to make his second-debut, along with fellow striker Glen Robson, but neither was able to conjure up a goal that would've earned Aycliffe a point.
Star Man
Darren Craddock – battled!

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