A 1-1 draw at National League South side Hemel Hempstead on Saturday saw Spalding United reach the halfway point of their pre-season campaign.
Bart Cybulski headed the Tulips ahead after 16 minutes but the hosts levelled from the penalty spot four minutes later.
It comes after a 1-0 defeat at Bourne Town and 1-0 victory at Lincoln United and manager Jimmy Dean said the warm-up programme was doing the required work.
“Every game has been competitive and it’ll be same going into next three games, he said. “It is a well-planned, well thought-out pre-season. Some of our play has been really good, some of it not so. That’s just pre-season ups and downs.”
Hemel play one level higher than Spalding and Dean added: “We weren’t quite there today and that’s not what we’re happy with but first half we played scintillating stuff and dealt really well with the threat they posed and created some great opportunities.
“They’re a good side from a league above; a big physical, mobile side and we knew it would be a real test
“We had the first half but they had the second. We had some good chances. They will feel aggrieved they didn’t score in the second half but we were the same with the chances we had in the first half and the soft penalty we gave away.
“I was disappointed with the way we came out after half-time and we looked tired. We weren’t quite where I thought we’d be three games into pre-season.”
Dean’s men started their new season later than most and he admitted the opening Bourne defeat was a bad day.
“It’s just a case of getting the basics right and we got it right on Tuesday night at Lincoln. It was a really good performance and we could have had five… six… seven… but their goalkeeper was outstanding.”
Spalding lost centre-back Connor Johnson to hospital with a suspected fracture but good news was that the injury was not as bad as feared and they hope to have him back in training soon.
The Tulips continue their schedule with a trip to Worksop Town on Saturday and Corby Town next Tuesday before going to King’s Lynn Town on August 2.
Their Pitching In Southern League Premier Central season starts the following Saturday with a trip to promoted Real Bedford. The first home game at the new-look Sir Halley Stewart Field is on Tuesday, August 12, with the visit of Harborough Town.
Derby dates against Stamford are on Monday, August 25 at home and December 27 at the Zeeco Arena.
2025
August
Sat 9 Real Bedford A
Tue 12 Harborough Tn H
Sat 16 Bromsgrove Sptg H
Sat 23 Stourbridge A
Mon 25 Stamford H
Sat 30 FA Cup tbc
September
Sat 6 Stratford Tn A
Tue 9 Kettering Tn H
Sat 20 Banbury Utd A
Tue 23 Bury Tn A
October
Sat 4 FA Trophy tbc
Sat 11 Quorn H
Tue 14 Bishop’s Stortford A
Sat 18 AFC Sudbury H
Tue 21 Royston Tn H
November
Sat 1 Alvechurch A
Sat 8 St Ives Tn H
Sat 15 Halesowen Tn A
Tue 18 Kettering Tn A
Sat 22 Needham Mkt H
Tue 25 Bury Tn H
Sat 29 Redditch Utd A
December
Sat 6 Leiston H
Sat 13 Worcester City A
Sat 20 Real Bedford H
Sat 27 Stamford A
2026
January
Sat 3 Barwell H
Sat 10 Harborough Tn A
Sat 17 Quorn A
Sat 24 Banbury Utd H
Sat 31 Bishop’s Stortford H
February
Sat 7 AFC Sudbury A
Sat 14 Alvechurch H
Sat 21 Royston Tn A
Sat 28 Redditch Utd H
March
Sat 7 Needham Mkt A
Sat 14 Halesowen Tn H
Sat 21 St Ives Tn A
Sat 28 Bromsgrove Sptg A
April
Fri 3 Stourbridge H
Mon 6 Barwell A
Sat 11 Stratford Tn H
Sat 18 Leiston A
Sat 25 Worcester City H
