Spalding United 1
Coalville Town 0
A trademark Josh Moreman screamer earned Marcus Ebdon his most impressive Spalding United win yet on Tuesday night.
Top scorer Moreman rifled home his 15th goal of the season to sink second-placed Coalville Town in an absorbing Evo-Stik League First Division South clash at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
The wing wizard smashed a low drive into the near corner in first-half added time to keep the Tulips fourth in the standings – just four points behind their most recent victims.
It’s now four league wins on the spin for Spalding since Ebdon replaced Pat Rayment at the helm.
And, although this was the least dramatic of the victories, it was perhaps the most important. Playing against a promotion rival – who had previously only lost once in the league – on a very wet and heavy pitch, the Tulips showed battling qualities that have often been lacking in the past.
The likes of Mitch Griffiths, Dan Lawlor and Dan Banister put in titanic shifts for their team – and Ebdon admitted that he couldn’t have asked for any more from his side.
“I’m a very happy man,” said the ex-Peterborough United and Everton professional. “I think the lads produced a great performance and got the result too.
“They absolutely worked their socks off. Maybe we could have done a little bit better with our game management towards the end, as we kept on going looking for an extra goal and let them in a bit.
“But I can’t really complain, every one of the lads was absolutely superb. If I’m honest, we thought the game was going to be called off – the pitch was in a bad way.
“Obviously now we’re very glad it wasn’t. We lost Sam Murphy before the game, which was a blow, but I thought the two Dans (Banister and Lawlor) were absolutely superb in central midfield.
“Mitch (Griffiths) was also superb on the wing, he looks a different player at the moment. He did really well.
“It was good for us to beat a play-off rival, they are second for a reason. But for us to now be fourth and closing on third is absolutely unbelievable.”
Heavy rain all day on Tuesday left the game in serious doubt before a ball was kicked, but the Sir Halley surface – although very wet – was passed fit. That suited in-form Spalding, who almost went ahead inside two minutes when the returning Tom Waumsley nodded Lawlor’s corner onto the bar.
At the other end, Tulips’ keeper Michael Duggan pulled a save right out of the top drawer to deny Liam Walshe after a sweeping Coalville move that involved ex-Tulip Nialle Rodney.
A scrappy period followed as both teams struggled to cope with the boggy pitch, but it was the hosts who ended the half in the ascendancy.
They perhaps should have gone ahead when Jake Newman pounced on a weak back pass and rounded keeper Sean Bowles.
With the goal seemingly at his mercy, he opted to square the ball to Waumsley – but his pass was cleared.
Waumsley then headed another chance wide following a cross from the tireless Griffiths, before the deadlock was finally broken.
Moreman, playing from the right, unleashed a stinging low drive from 22 yards that left Bowles with no chance at his near post.
Coalville did come out and show plenty of attacking intent in the second period, but that was matched by Spalding’s insatiable appetite all over the pitch.
The visitors were unlucky not to level when sub Alex Troke’s cross was somehow cleared by the scrambling home defence.
Sponsors’ man of the match Adam Jackson then produced a vital intervention to deny Coalville a clear sight of goal moments later.
It was Spalding who had the better chances in the second period, though.
The best of them fell to Banister, who blazed over the bar from close range after Bowles had somehow kept out Moreman’s fierce free kick from distance. Newman then sliced wide at the near post following a clever Griffiths pass, before two strikes from left winger Griffiths himself forced Bowles back into action.
Waumsley, another workhorse on the night, also went close late on when his effort from Banister’s cross was deflected over.
There was some late pressure from the visitors, but they found the Tulips’ backline in a very solid mood.
Indeed, skipper Nathan Stainfield and central defensive partner Neal Spafford were absolute rocks throughout.
There was one heart-in-the-mouth moment for Ebdon’s side in the dying seconds following a high ball into the box, but the talismanic Stainfield cleared to ensure his side bagged another three points.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker, Jackson, Stainfield, Spafford, Banister, Griffiths, Lawlor, Newman, Waumsley (Sanders 85), Moreman. Not used: Lockie, Humble.
Sponsors’ MOTM: Adam Jackson.
Attendance: 85
