Spalding United 1
Loughborough Dynamo 3
A poor first-half performance cost Spalding United dear on Saturday as mid-table rivals Loughborough Dynamo eased to a 3-1 victory at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
On a pitch that was incredibly boggy due to the heavy overnight rain, goals from Luke Thorogood (11), Danny Gordon (32) and ex-Tulip Danny Durkin (56) sank Spalding.
Kern Miller did nod an injury-time consolation for the Tulips, but they were soundly beaten in the Evo-Stik NPL First Division South showdown.
The defeat sees Dynamo leapfrog Spalding in the table, with Chris Rawlinson’s side falling to 14th.
The Tulips chief felt his side deserved to lose, but refused to be too critical of his youthful team.
“I was incredibly annoyed at half-time,” said Rawlinson. “At the end of the game, on reflection, the first half performance killed us and then they scored on the breakaway.
“In the second half, the lads did all that was asked of them and did everything but score the goals we needed.
“To be fair to Loughborough and their manager, I think they changed what they do to try and counteract our threats. They were too good for us in the first half.
“It didn’t help that Conor Marshall broke down with a knee problem again – and that was in the period when they scored two goals.
“We were just flat in the first half. We’ve played well recently and had a few good results, but this was a little ‘after the Lord Major’s Show’ from us.
“On the balance of play, we thoroughly deserved to lose the game – although we had enough pressure in the second half to maybe have nicked two goals.
“As a team, we’re still fairly new and young. We’ve done great since Christmas, but this can happen. We’ll dust ourselves down and go again.
“We put them under a massive amount of pressure in the last 20 minutes or so, but we’re not a top of the table kind of side. We’ll lose some games and we’ll win some, similar to Loughborough.
“We’ve got some big characters here. Kern Miller is big and strong, which is something we missed earlier in the season.
“Ben Davison, Danny Brooks and Matt Varley are the same – hopefully that will rub off on some of the younger lads.
“You’ve got to remember that we’re a young side and we need some of the older players for them to learn from.”
Spalding had the first chance of the game when Miller saw his header from Danny Brooks’ inswinging corner cleared off the line.
Dynamo replied with a headed opportunity of their own, but Gordon’s back-post effort missed at the near post.
It was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 18 minutes, as a cross into the box found the head of Thorogood – who looped an effort into the near top corner.
Loughborough really settled after their opener and deservedly doubled their advantage on 32 minutes. A ball from the right wasn’t dealt with the defence and Gordon gratefully turned the ball into the corner from close range.
It was very nearly 3-0 on the brink of half-time, but Thorogood failed to make a solid connection with a cross from the right and the Tulips escaped.
Spalding came out fighting in the second half and almost pulled one back instantly when Ben Davison narrowly missed out on flicking Brooks’ whipped free-kick home from close in.
Two long throws from Matt Varley also wreaked havoc in the away defence as it seemed the Tulips were about to get back into the game.
But it wasn’t to be, as a blistering break and sensational pass from Dynamo’s Gordon on the left teed up Durkin, who sent a strike into the corner at the second attempt 11 minutes into the second period.
Confusion followed moments later with Brooks shown a yellow card. The referee issued a second yellow and ordered him off the field, before realising the Spalding ace hadn’t already been carded.
Only a super point-blank stop from Taylor stopped sub Luke White pulling one back for the hosts 20 minutes from time, with Miller looping the rebound over.
White was involved again four minutes from time, showing great feet before delivering an excellent cross for Jonny Lockie, who headed wide at the near post.
Spalding went even closer moments later, but Ben Davison’s towering header came back off the far post.
They eventually got the goal their pressure merited, with Miller heading a corner into the corner on the second minute of added time.
Tulips: Duggan, Miller, Hugo, Varley, Fixter (Lockie 65), Spafford, Marshall (Humble 22), Brooks, Couzens (White 65), Davison, Acar. Not used: King, Smith.
Attendance: 100.
Sponsors’ MOTM: Kern Miller.
