SPENNYMOOR TOWN manager Jason Ainsley admitted that his side will have to play better to progress further, even though a rampant second- half performance gave them a 5-1 win at Cadbury Heath.

“The players were flat at the start, maybe it was the occasion or the surroundings, I don’t know, but we would have lost the game against a stronger outfit,” said Ainsley.

“Once we got our noses in front we played some very good football.

“Our supporters made a huge difference. There were about 200 there and they really lifted the players. It was like a home game.”

The Western League side took the lead through Billy Fletcher on the half hour.

Moors clawed their way back into the game with a Steve Capper penalty, and their confidence was boosted further when Craig Ruddy headed them in front.

They found their rhythm, especially after Cadbury heath were reduced to ten men. Capper crossed for Micky Rae to score the third from six yards, then Leon Ryan, who has been to Wembley twice with Whitley Bay, got the fourth from another Ruddy assist.

Gavin Cogdon scored the goal of the game, cleverly chipping the keeper to put Moors through.

Holders Whitley Bay left it late to beat Herne Bay, scoring in the dying seconds to put them into the last 16 for the fourth successive season.

Both keepers were busy in the first half in front of a 655 crowd, but Whitley took the lead after half-time when Paul Robinson fired into the top corner from the edge of the area. The Kent Senior League side equalised through Tom Bryant and the game was poised for extra time.

However, Whitley won in the dying seconds, when Robinson crossed from the right for Chow to turn and fire low past the keeper.

Manager Ian Chandler said: “Herne Bay were as good a team as we’ve played in the last two or three years. It was an end-to-end game and could have been 5-4 to us.

“But what a time to score the winner. We asked the referee how long was left after the goal and he said ten seconds, then blew the final whistle.

I just hope we avoid the other Northern League clubs now.”

Dunston striker Andy Bulford scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win.

Bulford put Dunston into the lead after four minutes when the ball broke to him in a scramble, and he got his second on 25 minutes from a Lee McAndrew cross.

Runcorn pulled a goal back through a James McShane penalty, but Bulford finished the game with another effort that went in off the post.

“Andy was a real matchwinner,”

said manager Billy Irwin. “His first helped us take control. We got a bit nervous at 2-1 but we ground out victory with Andy’s third goal.”

Billingham Synthonia maintained their recent improvement to make it four Northern League clubs in the last 16 by beating Tadcaster Albion 2-1 at Central Avenue.

Synners missed three chances to take the lead before Jamie Magowan latched on to poor back header by a defender from Josh Moody’s long clearance and beat the Tadcaster keeper.

Magowan struck again after 67 minutes with a header from a Michael Cater cross, but then Tadcaster came more into the game and caused some anxiety when Steve Jeff scored from an acute angle.

Tadcaster were furious at the end when they had a goal disallowed for a foul.

Synners assistant manager Lee Tucker said: “I thought that we were excellent and should have been three up by half-time. To get to this stage of the competition is fantastic – we’re playing with a lot of confidence now.”

Norton missed some good chances and lost 1-0 at home to Kings Lynn from the United Counties League.

The Teessiders were made to regret some excellent opportunities that fell to Jamie Clarke, Danny Earl and Craig Bishop, and Kings Lynn took the lead on 31 minutes when Robbie Harris scored.

The chances kept coming and going for Norton, with Craig Gott, Dave Alderson and Clarke all going close.

“We missed four one-onones in the first half, and no team can afford to do that,”

said manager Conrad Hillerby.

“After they scored, they made it difficult for us to break them down. I’m wondering how we’ve managed to lose.”

Ashington lost 3-2 at Long Buckby after being 2-0 up at half time. Stephen Young scored twice within the space of four minutes midway through the first half, but a penalty by Richard Bunting put the home side back into the game, and they scored further goals through Brad Harris and David Nelson. Ashington had Johnny Godsmark dismissed near the end.

St Neots, one of the main dangers to the Northern League clubs, saw their tie at Gresley postponed.

The fifth round draw takes place at lunchtime today.