Spalding United 2
Carlton Town 2
Matt Easton praised Spalding United’s fighting spirit as they battled back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw with Carlton Town on Tuesday night.
The new Tulips chief is still searching for his first victory in the role, but admitted that everybody at the club is feeling “a little bit happier” after ending a run of successive 4-0 defeats.
Two of his new signings delivered the goals on the night, with both Alfa Jalo and Jack Brownell opening their accounts for the club.
However, the visitors came flying out of the blocks at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field and took a tenth-minute lead through Oliver Clark.
Things got worse for the Tulips on the half-hour as Aidan Austin doubled Carlton’s money – and left Easton’s side staring down the barrel at another loss.
But Spalding refused to lie down and accept defeat, pulling one back before half-time when frontman Jalo bundled the ball home from close range on 34 minutes to kick-start the comeback.
That’s how it stayed all the way up until the 85th-minute, when midfielder Brownell netted his first goal in blue to level for the Tulips as they secured a seventh draw from ten Evo-Stik League Division One East games so far this season.
The point keeps Spalding 19th in the table, one point clear of basement side Cleethorpes Town, who have played three games less.
Boss Easton, who takes his side to Frickley Athletic this Saturday (3pm), said: “The lads did very well. After our recent results we could have folded and lost the game convincingly.
“I’ve got to be happy with a point from 2-0 down, but I felt we came back well and were very comfortable in the second half.
“To be honest, I felt like we did enough to win the game in the end.
“We had multiple opportunities to score and played some good football, too. We may not have won, but I think everyone is feeling a little bit happier now.
“The fighting spirit was there for all to see and I feel we’re now heading in the right direction.
“It was nice for Alfa to get a goal. He’s a bag of tricks and I thought he did well.
“Jack Brownell was fantastic too. He had a few sighters before scoring his goal, which was deserved.
“I also thought that Kegan Everington was the best player on the pitch, so it’s good to see the new signings performing well.
“We can go to Frickley with a bit more confidence now. The team spirit is good and I’m pleased with what I saw from the lads.”
Meanwhile, defender Kern Miller has left Spalding to join up with his former boss Graham Drury at Stamford.
Easton confirmed that the big central defender wanted to join the Daniels and that he didn’t want to stand in his way.
“I had a good conversation with Kern,” added Easton. “He told me that he fancied the Stamford move.
“I didn’t want to stand in his way and he goes with our blessing – there is no ill feeling there. We wish him well.”
Tulips: Duggan, Marshall, (Mettam 65) Hugo, Humble, Spafford, Everington, Fixter (Floyd 70), Brownell, White, Jalo (Lockie 80), King.
Attendance: 93.
RESULTS
Evo-Stik NPL
Division One East: Belper Town 1 Wisbech Town 1; Cleethorpes Town 3 AFC Mansfield 3; Gresley FC 2 Stamford 1; Ossett United 2 Pickering Town 2; Spalding United 2 Carlton Town 2; Tadcaster Albion 1 Loughborough Dynamo 0.
