Spalding Utd 1
Gresley 2
Two second half goals from Gresley’s Matt Melbourne sentenced out-of-sorts Spalding United to a fourth-successive 2-1 defeat on Saturday.
All looked to be going to plan for the Tulips at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field early on, with Gary King firing them ahead on 16 minutes.
Spalding should have been out of sight in the Evo-Stik NPL First Division South clash by half-time too, with Jamie Jackson spooning a penalty over the bar and other chances going begging.
The game turned on its head after the interval, though, with two classy Melbourne finishes (50 and 83) giving lowly Gresley their first away win of the season.
With the home crowd turning on their team in the second half – some hurling extremely harsh insults at the bench and players – the hosts were unable to find a leveller and they slip to 12th in the table.
Rawlinson admitted that the small section of fans were “entitled to their opinion” but explained that his squad are very low on confidence after the recent budget cuts and poor form.
“We’re massively lacking in confidence at the moment,” said the Tulips chief. “I think some of the lads are still feeling a little sorry for themselves, too.
“That’s four 2-1 defeats on the spin and we’re severely low on confidence as a result.
“Those scorelines show that we’re not a bad side, but we’re not a good side either.
“Tell me if I’m wrong, but I think they only had two chances all game.
“Again we have to talk about individual errors. Ellis Humble slipped and the boy has nipped in to finish well for the equaliser.
“The second goal was well-worked, but we have to look at ourselves. We can’t finish – what is that all about?
“We missed a penalty in the first half, misses a few one-on-ones and had a couple kicked off the line.
“I’m not saying we played well enough to get a win out of the game. But we just need a bit of luck to go our way to stop the run of losses before it becomes a real bad run.
“We’d take a point to break the run and then we can move on.
“It is going to be a long winter. People will leave, that’s for certain, and we won’t be able to replace them, sadly.”
The Tulips could have gone ahead inside the opening two minutes, with Paul Walker nodding just over following a trademark Lee Beeson corner.
Spalding were then awarded the softest of penalties on eight minutes, with almost everybody in the ground bemused by the decision. Jamie Jackson ballooned the spot-kick well over the bar and into the carpark, however.
Moments later Gary King saw his glancing header from another Beeson delivery saved by Callum Hawkins as the Tulips continued to create chances.
They eventually got the goal their pressure deserved when Cenk Acar crossed from the left for top scorer King to slot home a calm low finish into the corner on 16 minutes.
That was a good as the first half got, with a lengthy lull setting in up until the final seconds – as Beeson saw a well-struck free-kick well saved by Hawkins.
Jamie Jackson almost doubled Spalding’s lead early in the second period, but he shot wide when well placed in the Gresley box.
It was to prove costly, as the visitors went up the other end and equalised with their first genuine chance of the afternoon.
Matt Melbourne took the opportunity very well, though, smashing a near-post volley into the top corner from close in.
Reece Morris then lashed over as Gresley grew into the game, but the sides again began to cancel themselves out.
The Tulips almost went back ahead from a Beeson corner as Walker saw his deflected effort kicked off the line, but it was largely scrappy stuff.
At the other end, Keenan King was inches away from firing the visitors ahead – but Melbourne’s cross flew inches past his outstretched boot.
Melbourne made no mistake seven minutes from time, however, volleying home a cracker at the near post to put the visitors ahead for the first time.
Walker saw a late header saved as Spalding searched for a leveller, but the Moatmen held on.
Tulips: Duggan, Fixter, A Jackson, Walker, Humble (Lockie 85), Marshall, Beeson, J Jackson, Acar (Neil 70), King, Davison (Millington 77). Subs: Lockie, Maddison, Neil, Millington, Smith.
Attendance: 114
