Spalding United paid little attention to Loughborough Dynamo’s six-goal weekend salvo, with a shut-out providing the backbone to a 2-0 win on Tuesday (Aug 18).
Josh Moreman (7mins) and Jordan Nuttell (74) got the goals to make it a win and a draw from the Tulips’ first two matches of the Evo-stik First Division South campaign.
Loughborough – captained by ex-Tulip Rob Norris – are a useful side but the memory of their 6-1 humbling of Rugby Town on the opening day was soon erased.
Tulips boss Pat Rayment – by his own admission a hard man to keep happy – declared himself “extremely pleased”.
“The result was a fair reflection, we kept a clean sheet and are still doing it without a recognised centre-half,” he said. “We do need one, there’s no two ways about it.
“But we dug in well. We’re going to get stronger with the group of players we’ve got and the players I’m going to bring in to strengthen our lack of experience.”
A bit of good fortune led to the Tulips getting their noses in front on Tuesday.
Moreman danced his way down the left and cut in past two defenders before unleashing a low drive which took a wicked deflection off a Loughborough foot and left keeper Joe McCormick helpless.
But McCormick was soon making a good stop to deny Michael Frew. The frontman worked hard to be first to reach Moreman’s looped ball after Sam Murphy had spread play.
But the shot from an angle sight yards out cannoned off the keeper’s legs and was bundled away to safety.
Norris was showing signs of some of the clever play which made him a popular figure at the Sir Halley under Phil Hubbard in 2007.
The 27-year-old linked up with Tom Maddison to force a strong tip-over from Tulips keeper Michael Duggan.
And Norris then narrowly failed to capitalise on some rare indecision in the Tulips’ defence, just lifting a lob too high.
Into the second half and Norris was at the centre of it again, this time inadvertently stopping sub Steve Hart’s low drive on the goalline. An offside flag spared some of the skipper’s embarrassment.
It was clear that one goal might not be enough for the Tulips – so sub Jordan Nuttell gave them breathing space, converting Dan Lawlor’s free kick with 16 minutes to go.
An acrobatic mid-air backheel by Norris grazed Duggan’s crossbar but the Tulips defence of Neal Spafford, Paul Walker, Mitch Griffiths and Adam Jackson was not breeched.
Spafford looking comfortable and assured in the heart of defence got the nod for Tulips’ man-of-the-match but Jackson must have been a contender. The new captain was dependable, solid in the tackle and regularly got things moving down the left.
Tulips: Duggan, Griffiths, Jackson, Walker, Spafford, Murphy, Barlow (Waumsley 46mins), Millson (Nuttell 63mins), Frew, Lawlor, Moreman (Rawdon, 76mins).
MOTM: Spafford
Att: 109
Next up for the Tulips is Saturday’s (Aug 22) visit by Tividale, who have started the season with back-to-back defeats.
The West Midlands side won 2-0 at the Sir Halley in February, ending the Tulips’ four-month unbeaten run in the league.
Rayment said: “We’re not getting carried away [with our two results so far].
“Tividale last year were a big, physical side, but because we’ve got the legs in this team which we so fell short of then, if we play at a high tempo it’ll give us a chance in every game.”
The Tulips go to Sheffield FC on Tuesday (7.45pm).
