SPENNYMOOR Town reached the semi finals of the Durham Challenge Cup by knocking holders Billingham Synthonia out of the competition 4-1 at the Brewery Field yesterday afternoon.

The holders stunned Moors by taking the lead after four minutes with a low shot by Danny Newby, and then two minutes later Moors’ striker Micky Rae hit a penalty for a foul on Gavin Cogdon over the top.

However, Moors levelled on 32 minutes when Michael Laws scored from a right wing cross, and just on half time Craig Ruddy put them into the lead with a low shot.

When Moors were given another penalty for handball after 48 minutes, Steve Capper assumed penalty duties and scored from the spot. Near the end, they were assured of a place in the next round when Calvin Smith and Cogdon set up Chris Emms to score from 20 yards.

In the STL Northern League, second division leaders Newton Aycliffe are now seven points clear at the top after they beat Morpeth 5-0 at Moore Lane.

Warren Byrne scored possibly the fastest STL goal of the season after 16 seconds when the Morpeth defence misjudged the bounce of the ball and he scored from the edge of the box.

Elliott Gardner fired the second after 58 minutes, and two minutes later Fred Woodhouse tapped in the third from a corner.

Byrne then had a penalty blocked by the keeper, and after he hit the rebound against the bar from three yards, Danny Mellanby scored from the loose ball. Mellanby then set up Paul Broom for the fifth.

Second placed Guisborough lost 2-0 at Team Northumbria, for whom Nat Price and Mark Fenwick scored early in the second half.

Darlington RA had a good 1-1 draw with Marske United.

New signing Garry Barnes hit the bar for the RA after 20 minutes, but Marske took the lead when Karl Charlton set up Derek Bradley to fire home just before half time.

However, the RA levelled just after half time when Fred Huscroft pounced on a defensive mistake and scored from the edge of the box.

In the first division, Esh Winning are stuck in the bottom two after they were beaten 2-0 at home by Billingham Town.

The visitors took the lead after 20 minutes when Craig Norman was brought down in the area, and after Micky Dunwell’s spot kick was saved, he scored from the rebound.

Andy Jennings made the points safe just after half time, when he scored with a 15 yarder.

Whitley Bay struggled to beat bottom club Ryton 3-1 at Hillheads. Paul Chow headed Whitley into the lead after five minutes from a Paul Robinson corner, and then Chris Fawcett got the second after 26 minutes from a rebound.

Ryton caused a scare when Liam Hudson pulled a goal back, and there were only two minutes when Gary Ormston headed the third from close range.

Ashington beat West Allotment 2-1. Phil Bell and Stephen Young put them 2-0 up, before Ian Dunn scored a late consolation.

Birtley were furious that their game at Gillford Park was postponed because of a frozen pitch, only 90 minutes after the home side gave them the go-ahead to travel. Gillford claimed that a cold wind off the Solway Firth froze the pitch and forced the postponement.

Meanwhile, Hebburn were advised to travel to Whitehaven by the home side at 9am, but when they arrived at the ground, the referee called the game off because of a frozen pitch 45 minutes before the scheduled start.

DURHAM City produced one of their best performances of the season to beat Bamber Bridge 2-1 in the Evostik First Division North.

David Dowson and Ross Wilkinson both went close before Steve Thompson gave them the lead with a superb goal after 20 minutes, chipping the ball over the Bamber Bridge keeper from inside his own half.

Five minutes later, it was 2-0 when Dowson opened up the visiting defence with a good through ball for Josh Home-Jackson to score from 18 yards.

The visitors pulled a goal back through Chris Marlow, but City continued to play some good football and should have added further goals.

Whitby lost 3-0 at home to Worksop in the Premier Division.