Spalding United 1
Market Drayton Town 0
Jake Newman’s late strike earned ten-man Spalding United a vital victory over Evo-Stik League First Division South play-off rivals Market Drayton Town on Saturday.
Newman pounced to net the only goal of the match five minutes from time at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, as the Tulips kept their amazing run under new boss Marcus Ebdon going.
It’s now five wins and a draw for Ebdon since he replaced Pat Rayment in the Spalding hot-seat – and his side are sitting pretty in fourth place.
However, it all could have been very different for the Tulips. They had to play with ten men for around an hour after seeing top scorer Josh Moreman – who had already missed a penalty – sent off in the first half.
Amazingly, the setback didn’t seem to faze Spalding, with Ebdon over the moon with his side’s showing.
The ex-Peterborough United professional said: “Absolutely brilliant, what more can I say?”
“In difficult and windy conditions, we turned in a brilliant performance.
“We have dominated a team who sit just below us in the table.
“The work ethic of the lads has been superb and the victory was fully deserved.”
Spalding had a golden chance to go ahead early on at a very windy Sir Halley, but the usually dependable Moreman fired a penalty wide of the post.
With the wind at their backs, the Tulips were very much the dominant force in the first period.
Indeed, Drayton’s first meaningful attack did not arrive until the 20th minute following a corner, which needed a well-executed clearance by Paul Walker to avert the danger on the home goal.
Five minutes later visiting keeper Ashley Rawlins saved a Tom Waumsley header at full stretch – and almost immediately a flowing move down the left side ended with Dan Banister driving the ball inches over the top corner.
With the home pressure maintained, Rawlins then denied Newman and Nathan Stainfield in quick succession.
But the big moment of the first period was Moreman’s red card on 30 minutes, awarded for a rash late tackle on Drayton’s Mike O’Reilly.
It left Spalding facing a very tricky second period against the wind with a numerical disadvantage.
However, the second half followed much the same pattern with the Tulips in control. Chances came and went, with Dan Lawlor testing Rawlins and then man-of-the-match Banister, having been put clear by Newman, also forcing a smart stop.
With 15 minutes to go a great Lawlor shot from 20 yards was deflected onto and over the Drayton crossbar – and from the resulting corner kick skipper Nathan Stainfield headed just over the bar.
The deadlock was finally broken five minutes from time.
Banister’s initial shot at the end of another move on the left side created a scramble in the area and Newman was sharp enough to turn the ball in at the far post.
All in all it was a good day’s work for the Tulips, who worked hard throughout to earn their just rewards.
The win keeps them fourth in the table, but they are now five points clear of fifth-placed Drayton in the race for a play-off position.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker, Jackson, Spafford, Stainfield, Banister, Griffiths, Lawlor, Newman, Moreman, Waumsley. Not used: Murphy, Humble, Sanders.
Vic Couzens MOTM: Dan Banister
Match sponsors: Maplethorpe Builders.
Attendance: 124.
