ST HELENS Town's first game of 2024 ended in defeat to a much improved Moore United team that Town had beaten 6-0 earlier in the season.

Moore could have been two goals up inside the first 10 minutes but for good work from keeper Kyle Rugg.

It took a tremendous strike from the edge of the box by Sam Hatcher to put Moore one up after 30 minutes.

Town rallied after half time but that man Hatcher again would punish a defensive error on 55 minutes to put Town two down, much to the disappointment of the home crowd.

Town worked hard to get back into the game in the last half hour and man of the match Mike Newton and Dale Whitehead made some good inroads as Liam Diggle toiled upfront against two superb Moore centre backs.

Diggle's hard work would be rewarded on the final whistle as he fired in a last minute penalty which saw Town sadly defeated 1-2 in front of an impressive crowd of 167 on a brutally cold day at Ruskin Drive.