Spalding United 1
Lincoln United 0
A bizarre early own-goal by former Tulip Michael Jacklin was enough to give Spalding United all three points against rivals Lincoln United on Boxing Day.
Jacklin’s belated Christmas present came after just six minutes at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field and was from a 20-yard back pass to advancing away keeper Jake Turner.
The lowly-struck ball made contact with a divot in the turf and took a detour past Turner and continued its bobbling run into the net.
It turned out to be the only goal of a closely-fought and keenly-contested game, but there was no shortage of goalmouth action to follow at either end of the pitch.
It was also enough to ensure Spalding completed an unbeaten December in Evo-Stik NPL First Division South, with four wins from as many games and no goals conceded.
Turner was the busiest of the two keepers during the early stages as the Tulips battled for superiority.
In the opening minute the Lincoln keeper produced an excellent save to deny Nathan Whitehead and, two minutes after conceding from Jacklin’s back pass, he also clutched a goal-bound header from Nathan Stainfield just inside a top angle of the goalposts.
On 15 minutes a sliced clearance by Stainfield brought home keeper Michael Duggan into serious action to deny The Whites.
Shortly afterwards Duggan turned a dipping 20-yarder by Andy Toyne, another former Tulip, over the bar.
At the other end, Spalding’s – and indeed the division’s – top scorer Bradley Wells was twice denied by Turner in the closing stages of the opening half.
Just before the break a slightly deflected shot by Luke Hornsby clipped the outside of Duggan’s right side post, ensuring the hosts went in 1-0 to the good.
It was much of the same in the second-half with both goals subjected to pressure, with good efforts by Wells and two more of Lincoln’s former Tulips, Jordan Hempenstall and Gary King going close.
But both defences reigned supreme and the scoreline remained unchanged.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker, Jackson, Varley, Stainfield, Spafford, Lemon, Whitehead, Wells, Barraclough, Higginson (Acar 61). Not used: Field, Lockie.
MOTM (chosen by match sponsor Ray Lawton): Nathan Stainfield.
Attendance: 184
- Spalding’s game at Carlton Town on Thursday was postponed due to a frozen pitch.
