Spalding United 5
Wisbech Town 1
Andrew Tidswell fired his second hat-trick of the summer to help get Spalding’s stuttering pre-season back on track in emphatic fashion on Saturday.
The striker notched on 1, 27 and 85 minutes against UCL Premier Division outfit Wisbech Town at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, with Mark Jones (44) and young gun George Stainfield (80) also on target.
Ex-Tulip Josh Ford did net an impressive free-kick consolation for the Fenmen (33), but not even he could stop Pat Rayment’s men from banishing the memory of last weekend’s 4-0 drubbing at Deeping Rangers.
Spalding made the perfect start, with Tidswell taking advantage of some hesitant Wisbech defending to work and angle in the box and fire home high past the despairing Lea Jordan.
He doubled his money mid-way through the opening period after being afforded too much space on the right. The two-time UCL golden boot winner needed no invitation in lashing the ball low into the far corner.
The Fenmen did have their moments in the first period, though, and pulled one back when Ford wrong-footed Michael Duggan with an accurate 25-yard free kick that sneaked into the far corner.
Spalding, however, nipped any comeback in the bud just before the interval when a sumptuous outside of the boot pass from the excellent Jamie Thurlbourne released Jones, who buried a fierce low effort on the half-volley.
Tidswell had the ball in the net early in the second period following a fine Thurlbourne delivery, but an offside flag denied him a treble.
Winger Ash Burberry then belted a long-range effort just over, while at the other end former Holbeach United winger Frazer Bayliss was unlucky not to score when he blocked a Duggan clearance and saw the ball fly just wide of the target.
Then came a top triple save from Wisbech number one Jordan. He denied Tidswell twice in quick succession, before tipping Thurlbourne’s follow-up around the far post.
The chances for Tidswell to complete his treble kept on coming. He volleyed yet another perfect Thulbourne cross wide at the near post, with the red-hot hitman seemingly unsighted by a nearby defender.
At this stage Wisbech were still very much in the game – and they almost gave the Tulips a tough finish the game when Ford’s header was somehow saved by the acrobatic Duggan. The ball, however, seemed to bounce over the line following the Spalding number one’s superb save – but nothing was given.
It was a key moment, as moments later the hosts made the win safe. Goal-hungry Tidswell looked set to finally grab his third when he raced clear and stepped inside his man… only to be crudely hacked down.
With everybody waiting for the whistle, Stainfield seized the initiative and curled home his first goal for the club with the referee happy to play the advantage. It was a popular goal at the Sir Halley, with George’s brother Nathan Stainfield leading the celebrations.
There was still time for Tidswell to have the final word, too. Having expertly brought down a deep cross from the wand-like left peg of Thurlbourne, the master marksman nipped the ball past Jordan before lashing home into the unguarded net.
Having endured a 6-month injury nightmare, the treble follows a similar hat-trick haul from Tidswell against Yaxley just over a week earlier. He now looks back to his deadly best.
There was one negative for Rayment and his side, with Julian Kelly forced off with injury having only managed ten minutes as a substitute in the second half.
Next up for the Tulips is another home friendly against Moulton Harrox on Thursday (7.45pm).
Tulips: Duggan, Leary, Jackson, Miller, Stainfield, Webb, Burberry (Kelly 68, G Stainfield 78), Hall, Tidswell, Jones (Waumsley 70), Thurlbourne. Not used: Roberts, Ebdon.
Attendance: 116
- UCL Premier Division results: Friday – Deeping Rangers 3 Harborough Town 0. Saturday – Yaxley 3 Long Buckby 1.
