With all the top three sides drawing, the result left Whitley four points clear of Consett in the battle for runners up spot with both sides having five games to play.

It is beginning to look as if the game between the two sides a week on Saturday will prove decisive.

Terry Burke was back in the Bay goal after missing the previous four games, but Brian Rowe began a four-match suspension following his sending off at Lowestoft.

There was little to choose between the sides in the early stages and it was the visitors who created the first chance after seven minutes when Richie Storr headed over the bar.

Two minutes later Whitley nearly scored when the ball was played tantalisingly across the face of goal.

Chris Moore crossed back into the goalmouth where Paul Chow's close range header was blocked on the line by a defender.

With a quarter of an hour played Spennymoor took the lead when a right wing corner was headed home by Graham Robinson.

Straight from the restart Whitley broke upfield and keeper Niki Lawson had to make a fine fingertip save to deny Lee Kerr.

Both sides were attacking at every opportunity and when the visitors broke away Storr fired over the bar before Whitley retaliated with Picton just failing to get the vital touch to David Coulson's header after a free kick from Paul Robinson had caused problems in the Town defence.

Two minutes later, Robinson was celebrating when his 20-yard effort curled past Lawson into the top corner of the net to level the score.

Just past the half hour Chow had the ball in the Spennymoor net from Lee Picton's cross but the celebrations were cut short when the goal was ruled offside.

At the interval the game was evenly balanced but as the second half progressed, Whitley began to get on top.

Claims for a Whitley penalty were turned down when the referee spotted a push just before a blatant handball by a Spennymoor defender who escaped unpunished.

Shortly after replacing Picton, Dean Douglas saw a good chance pushed wide the Coulson's header from a Robinson free kick was just off target.

Moore provided a great opportunity with an excellent cross from near the by-line but both Minto and Douglas failed to connect in front of an open goal.

Then Livermore sent a glancing header across the face of goal from a Robinson corner and again there was no one to apply the finishing touch.

With Whitley applying all the pressure but without success, Spennymoor suddenly broke away but to the relief of the Bay fans Clarke shot wide of goal when well placed.

A golden opportunity for Whitley came with six minutes to go when Moore's cross was played by Minto into the path of Kerr who seemed certain to score but with time and space in front of goal he volleyed the ball inches over the bar.

Then Minto crossed for Douglas who again seemed sure to find the net but this time a defender's leg deflected the ball away from goal.

Still Whitley piled forward and with time running out it was Minto who wasted the last chance when he hit the ball over an open goal after Moore had provided the cross.

While Spennymoor defended well late on, Whitley should have won by at least two goals but their current problem of converting their opportunities into goals continued to the frustration of players and fans alike.

Whitley Bay: Burke, Taylor, Picton (Douglas 62 mins), Woodhouse, Coulson, Graham, Moore, Dugdale (Livermore 74 mins), Kerr, Chow (Minto 57 mins), Robinson.

This weekend Whitley are away to in form side Shildon, before travelling to Billingham Synthonia on Wednesday evening.