UniBond Division One: Radcliffe Boro...7 Spennymoor...4 By Steve Bott

QUITE simply, the most amazing match I have ever witnessed which had the statisticians feverishly scouring through their record books.

The action started as early as the fourth minute when Eamon Elliott put Boro ahead from the penalty spot after a Jody Banim cross from the left had been handled in the penalty area.

The visitors drew level in the 15th minute when Stephen Bell fired in off a post. But Boro went straight to the other end from the re-start and Banim darted through the middle to slot the ball home.

The see-saw action continued and Stuart Brightwell equalised again for Spennymoor when he headed in a cross from the right.

It was only a matter of time though before Spennymoor's pressure would tell again, and it did with two goals in the space of three minutes, both penalties from Lee.

Neil Hardy evened up the penalty count in the 75th minute to give Radcliffe a lifeline but the match boiled over in the 78th minute, resulting in Hardy and Michael Robson receiving their marching orders.

Banim levelled the scores moments later before forcing Spennymoor keeper Adrian Swan into a foul which earned him a red card. Tony Whealing slammed home the free-kick.

Battersby was then brought down by stand-in keeper Carl Beasley and, after Beasley had been dismissed, Banim converted from the spot.

Not to be outdone, Battersby grabbed his moment of glory deep into injury time, smashing the ball home in style to complete an amazing afternoon.

What must not be forgotten amidst all the mayhem, was that this was Boro's seventh league victory on the trot and it took them into the play-off positions for the first time this season.

Quite a remarkable feat in itself when you consider the far from glorious start Boro made to the campaign.

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH: Hurst 9, Battersby 8, Whealing 7, Kelly 7, Kay 7, Elliott 7, Spooner 7, Wilson 7, Landon 7, Banim 8, Price 7. Substitutes: Hardy, Bean, Spencer. Referee: Mr K Lawton. Attendance: 203.