The Tulips climbed to the top of EvoStik NPL First Division South on Saturday, their highest ever position in the modern day football pyramid, with an impressive 3-2 win away at Market Drayton, following one of their longest journeys of the season.
The scoreline may suggest a close encounter, but realistically the Tulips, powerful and persistent as ever, won with considerable ease to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Before the game, like all others in the EvoStik League, a one minute of silent tribute was observed to the memory of Shaw Lane defender Daniel Wilkinson who collapsed and died on the field during a midweek League Cup game at Brighouse.
The Tulips got off to the best possible start with a goal after just six minutes.
A flowing move saw Cenk Acar put over a great cross to find Bradley Wells. His shot was pushed away for a corner but, from the following kick, Sam Downey beat the goalkeeper with a powerful and well placed header.
Just two minutes earlier Downey had nodded a Jordan Lemon cross just wide of the target.
It was an impressive opening by the Tulips with their mid-table opponents soaking up considerable pressure. Lemon was near to extending the lead when firing a Nathan Whitehead assist just over the bar.
Andy Wright and Bradley Wells combined to carve out another scoring opportunity, and a Wright corner kick found skipper Nathan Stainfield at the far post to head inches over the bar. But the pressure brought its reward in the 16th minute.
A long ball from the midfield was won by Wright who nonchantly nipped round the goalkeeper to score a simple goal.
Midway through the first half leading scorer Bradley Wells missed out in a one-on- one situation with the goalkeeper, while at the other end the home team’s best attacking move so far brought a good save from Michael Duggan.
Wells, however, was not to be denied and four minutes after the interval, in typical style, he gathered an Andy Wright corner to score his eighth league (11th in total) goal of the season from eight appearances.
Drayton had Kevin Buxton sent off for a rash challenge on the rampant Wells, but they reduced their arrears on 57 minutes with a cracking goal by Daniel Beddows following a corner.
James Cullingworth, who had replaced Downey in the 55th minute, was near to restoring the Tulips’ three goal margin and, with the side still firmly in attacking mood, numerous other scoring opportunities were created with Wells, Stainfield, Wright and Acar either on or just off target.
As the game drifted into added time Matt Varley was harshly adjudged to have handled in the area and Josh Green neatly converted the resulting penalty in the 94th minute.
Tulips: Michael Duggan, Jordan Lemon, Paul Walker, Matt Varley, Nathan Stainfield, Neal Spafford, Cenk Acar (Jonny Lockie 76 min), Nathan Whitehead, Bradley Wells, Sam Downey (James Cullingworth 55 mins), Andrew Wright. Sub (not used) Chris Hamilton. Man of the match: Bradley Wells.
