Three consecutive wins have seen Spalding United shoot up the Southern League Premier Central table into an early play-off place.
That is despite the Tulips having had to play all five of their matches ‘on tour’, away from home due to ongoing work on the new artificial surface at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
Derby honours belonged firmly to Spalding on Monday when they rattled off a 3-0 win at Stamford, to go with Saturday’s single-goal success at Stourbridge.
That six-point haul sees them sitting in fifth spot ahead of this Saturday’s break from league action with an FA Cup trip to Northern Premier League side Ilkeston Town.
Manager Jimmy Dean was delighted with how his team had responded to an early home charge at Stamford.
“They came out of the traps at us and started fast,” he said. “They put us under the cosh without really creating anything of substance.
“I was delighted with how we dealt with that and found our way into the game.”
Jack Roberts put the Tulips ahead from a first-half free-kick and Bart Cybulski doubled the advantage when he tapped home a deflected cross from Dion Sembi-Ferris.
Charlie Marzano was sent off for the hosts before Josh McCammon and Mani Sani combined with a well-worked short free-kick routine to set up Yusifu Ceesay to flick the ball into the net.
Dean was particularly pleased with the third goal after recent injury woes.
“I was pleased Ceesay got his first goal for us,” he said. “He played with a broken nose and had breathing problems, as well as swelling around his eye. I had to twist his arm to get him to play,” admitted the manager.
“The only thing I could be disgruntled with was that we didn’t get a couple more goals, especially when they went down to ten men,” said Dean, adding: “However, there won’t be many teams come here and win 3-0.”
A second half penalty from Dan Lawlor was all that separated the Tulips and Stourbridge on Saturday, but Dean felt it was a deserved win.
“I thought it was an evenly contested game,” he said. “We were the better team, with the better chances and had the balance of play. They were aggressive but we always knew there would be a chance that fell to us and so it proved.
“It was big pressure moment for Dan but he put it away. It is a big three points, especially after the injuries and suspensions we’ve had to deal with.
Dean insisted he was not looking for sympathy after losing his whole defence in the first few games of the campaign.
“Every club will go through what we’ve had with injuries and suspension. It’s just that it’s hit us early in the season but we’ve come through it.”
Tulips v Stourbridge: Chapman, Sembie-Ferris, Bondswell, Blythe, White, Lawlor, Roberts, Bendle, McCammon, Cybulski, Ceesay. Subs: Clifton, Cashmore, Nicholson, Sheriff, Sani.
Attendance: 495.
Tulips v Stamford: Chapman, Sembie-Ferris, Bondswell, Johnson, White, Bendle, Roberts, Sheriff, McCammon, Cybulski, Ceesay. Subs: Thompson, Blythe, Nicholson, Lawlor, Sani.
Attendance: 642.
