SPENNYMOOR TOWN's players and coaching staff were left furious after a biting incident overshadowed their weekend defeat Gloucester City.

Moors went down to a 2-0 defeat in an extremely bad-tempered game, but the scoreline only tells a small part of the story.

Tommy Miller's side ended the game with just nine players on the field after two men received their marching orders, with Miller also receiving a red card himself as tempers became frayed.

The trio were all sent packing after Moors claimed that Gloucester player Matt McClure bit midfielder Brad Abbott, who was red carded for his role in the incident.

As the Moors squad were clearly incensed by what had occurred, Carl Magnay was also sent off for his reaction in the aftermath of the alleged bite.

To make matters worse for Spennymoor, centre-half James Curtis went off early in the game following a recurrence of his knee injury.

Assistant manager Stuart Parnaby was clearly aggrieved about Moors being on the wrong end of an incident which is likely to have serious repercussions.

Abbott and Magnay are facing three-match bans, while Miller is also likely to be hit with a touchline suspension.

However, with Moors set to make a formal complaint, McClure will almost certainly be hit with an extremely lengthy ban in the FA conclude he was guilty of biting an opponent.

"Carl’s apologised for reacting," said Parnaby, who stepped in to conduct post-match press duties after Miller's dismissal. "But if it’s your mate getting bitten, how do you not react?

"I haven’t seen an incident like that before, it’s one of the worst things I’ve seen. There’s a full teeth mark on Brad’s shoulder that’s close to blood.

“I don’t get how you can do that as a man, it’s as bad as it gets for me.

“There was reaction all round on the bench and on the pitch. I don’t know what Tommy has said to the ref to get the card.

"Brad has done nothing wrong – he got bit and was sent off. It doesn’t make any sense.”

The incident completely overshadowed the rest of the events on the field, but the upshot nevertheless means that Moors are without a league win since early October – a run of eight matches – and have dropped to 13th in the National League North table.

Gloucester took the lead just before half-time when Oliver Hulbert beat Dale Eve with a header, then McClure added the second from close range.

“All round, we were nowhere near where we need to be," added an honest Parnaby. "Two mistakes defensively cost us goals – it’s not easy going away from home and conceding goals like that.

"When you look at the all-round game, did we create many chances? Just a couple.

“Did we penetrate much? Not really. Gloucester had a few chances, ultimately they deserved to win.”

Darlington did not have a game at the weekend, and now find themselves in 14th position, but elsewhere in National League North, York City claimed a welcome 1-0 win at Guiseley that lifted them up to ninth.

There was not such good news for Blyth Spartans though as they crashed to an emphatic 4-1 defeat at the hands of league leaders AFC Fylde.

Blyth find themselves in the relegation zone in 21st position, having played a game more than Guiseley and Bradford Park Avenue, the two teams immediately above them in the table.