Mickleover Sports 2
Spalding United 1
Pat Rayment felt his Spalding United side were too light in attack as they slipped to a costly defeat at Evo-Stik League First Division South title rivals Mickleover on Saturday.
Jamie Stevens nodded the Tulips ahead inside 35 seconds of the Derbyshire duel, but strikes from Gary Ricketts (21) and Andrew Dales (64) gave the home side all three points.
The loss, a second on the spin after a run of 15 league games unbeaten, leaves Spalding just outside the play-off places with 16 matches left to play.
Having fallen nine points behind title favourites Mickleover, the Tulips now have it all to do if they are to win the championship.
Rayment accepted that the result was right on the day, but admits he felt “cheated” by the officials following Ricketts’ controversial opener and rued the unavailability of strikers Jordan Hempenstall and Andrew Tidswell.
He said: “I’m very disappointed with the result, but we can have no complaints.
“I just felt we lacked bite in attack. We looked very lightweight going forward and didn’t threaten them enough. Simple as that.
“Obviously it would have helped if Jordan was fit and Andrew wasn’t on gardening leave, but that’s how it is.
“Saying that, the officials were very, very poor. The three of them are among the worst we’ve had this season.
“I feel cheated by their first goal. The linesman saw it, but didn’t put his flag up.
“Saying that, the result was correct. Michael Duggan didn’t have too many saves to make, but they were stronger and quicker than us all over the pitch. We need to snap out of this form quickly.”
So swift was Stevens’ opening goal that many fans were still making their way to their seats. Spalding flew forward and immediately won a corner, which allowed Jamie Thurlbourne to deliver for the defender to expertly head into the net.
It was a sign of things to come with both sides, realising that points were at a premium, in full attacking mode. Clear scoring chances, however, were few and far between.
Mickleover’s new signing, former Ilkeston ace Ricketts, was a constant threat up front – although Nathan Stainfield and Stevens contained him quite well between them.
In the 13th minute Stainfield shadowed his man for a distance before denying him with a perfectly timed challenge in a crowded area.
It was Ricketts, though, who levelled the scores with a far post header on 21 minutes. But Spalding were left fuming, as they argued that both he and crosser of the ball Callum Lloyd were clearly in offside positions.
As the Tulips battled to regain the advantage, a meaningful sequence down the left side produced a good effort by Tom Waumsley, only for his shot to be blocked by the outstretched legs of goalkeeper Chris Martin.
Ten minutes into the second period another opening was carved out, but defender Stainfield was forced to attack the ball with his wrong foot and the ball curled wide of a far post.
However, the killer blow for the Tulips came on 64 minutes. The dangerous and speedy Dales weaved past three defenders and into the area, unleashing a fine shot which took a huge deflection to give Michael Duggan no chance.
Shortly afterwards Duggan got his legs in the way of a Jake Bennett shot, while the excellent Stevens stopped Dales in his tracks in the game’s dying embers.
Spalding are without Stainfield, Tidswell, Hempenstall, Jack McGovern and Alex Simmons for Tuesday night’s Doodson Sport Cup clash at Ilkeston (7.45pm).
Tulips: Duggan, Griffiths, Jackson, Stevens, Stainfield, Webb, Nuttell (Hodge 30), Hall, Waumsley, Simmons (Adams 71), Thurlbourne (Leary 78).
Attendance: 166
