Spalding United 2
Coalville Town 1
Battling Spalding United completed an Evo-Stik League First Division South double over a talented Coalville Town thanks to Tom Waumsley’s winner on Saturday.
In a game that took a while to ignite, leading scorer Andrew Tidswell gave the Tulips a half-time lead with a clinical finish just before the break.
Coalville bossed the early stages of the second half, though, and deservedly found a leveller when Craig Marshall arrowed a superb header into the top corner on 62 minutes.
Parity only last seven minutes, however, as Waumsley expertly headed home a cross from man-of-the-match Michael Leary to make it back-to-back 2-1 home wins from Pat Rayment’s side.
Having repeatedly remarked that his side haven’t got what they have deserved this season, Spalding supremo Rayment was pleased to see the roles reversed at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
But he was lavish in his praise of rivals Coalville, who he rates as the best side the Tulips have faced this season.
Rayment said: “How many times this season have I stood here and said we should have won. The shoes on the other foot now, isn’t it?
“But this is football. We contributed to our own problems today – we couldn’t keep the football.
“Saying that, if we’d had a bit more composure we perhaps could have scored a few more goals.
“Did we deserve to win? Maybe not. But I don’t think they did either.
“Saying that, they are the best side we’ve faced this season. We’ve had to work really hard to get six points against them.
“I’m pleased for Tom Waumsley. He’s been patient in waiting for his opportunity and it was a fine winning goal.”
In truth, the first half was among the worst the home fans have seen at the Sir Halley so far this season.
Neither side created much in the opening exchanges, with a couple of wild long range strikes from Coalville’s Ben Saunders the best either team could muster.
Home keeper Duggan made the first save of the afternoon on 20 minutes when he raced out to save at the feet of Jack Farmer, but it was mainly defences on top.
That was, until three minutes before the break when leading scorer Tidswell broke the deadlock.
He raced onto a lofted through ball over the top and shrugged off a defender before rounding keeper Sean Bowles and firing into the net.
Tidswell then acrobatically volleyed over soon after the sides kicked off for the second period, but from then on the visitors seized command.
Farmer struck a low drive off the near post following a smart pass from the lively Saunders, while Marshall miscued a cross from Josh Morrall when he seemed certain to level.
It was no surprise when the equaliser arrived just past the hour mark, with Marshall expertly planting the perfect header past Duggan from ten yards after escaping the attention of the otherwise excellent Kern Miller and Nathan Stainfield.
You sensed that there would only be one winner from there, but the levelled only served to wake Spalding up – and they hit back in the 69th minute.
A wonderful whipped cross from captain Leary on his weaker left foot picked out Waumsley, who superbly guided a flighted header beyond the reach of the sprawling keeper Bowles and into the far top corner.
It wasn’t plain sailing for the Tulips from there, though, as Duggan was forced to make an instinctive low save to deny sub Tendai Chitiza from point-blank range minutes later.
They held on though, to record an almost carbon copy of their 2-1 triumph over Gresley the previous Tuesday night and move up to eighth in the table.
Away from the game, Rayment confirmed that a deal to bring Jordan Nuttell to the club from Boston Town is done. He expects Nuttell, who scored against Cogenhoe United in his final game for the Poachers on Saturday, to be in the squad at Rainworth Miners Welfare on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
However, striker Mark Jones looks set to leave to club on a potential three-month loan deal to former side Boston United.
The deal is expected to see Jones go to York Street for an initial one month loan, with an option to extend the deal for a further two months.
More on those deals when we have it.
Tulips: Duggan, Leary, Jackson, N Stainfield, Miller, Webb, Griffiths, Hall, Tidswell (Jones 67), Oliver (Waumsley 46), J Thurlbourne. Not used: G Stainfield, McKue.
Attendance: 170
