Spalding United 2
Kidsgrove Athletic 1
A bizarre own goal by Kidsgrove Athletic keeper Ben Chapman steered Spalding United to a battling 2-1 Evo-Stik NPL Division One South win on Saturday.
Chapman failed to deal with a routine back pass by Paul Donnelly on 12 minutes – and only succeeded in running the ball into his own net to put the Tulips 2-0 ahead.
Hosts Spalding had earlier taken a fourth-minute lead through returning frontman Tom Waumsley, as they extended their unbeaten run to four games.
Away skipper Anthony Malbon pulled one back on 20 minutes, but the Tulips – who were aided by a man-of-the-match showing from their keeper Michael Duggan – held firm to move back into the play-off places.
Spalding boss Marcus Ebdon said: “I thought we were full value for the points, the boys did very well.
“In the first half, especially, I thought we could easily have scored a few more.
“The own goal was a bit comical, but I’ll take any kind of goal. It’s just nice for the luck to go our way for once.
“Credit to Michael Duggan, he pulled off a couple of top saves in the second half, including one superb stop.
“He did very well, but I certainly felt we had the better of the game.”
The wind, blowing straight down the pitch, did its best to disrupt what developed into an enjoyable and entertaining game at the Sir Halley, with the Tulips emerging the better of the two sides and fully deserving their victory.
They went ahead when Waumsley, making a rare start, latched onto a header from skipper Nathan Stainfield and flicked the ball smartly past the helpless Chapman.
The keeper then endured his moment to forget, as Spalding put themselves into a commanding 2-0 lead after 12 minutes.
Waumsley had the ball in the visitors’ net again on 15 minutes, but this time it was disallowed – apparently because Stainfield had, moments earlier, raised a leg too high to win possession.
Pressure on the Kidsgrove goal continued with right back Paul Walker making a speedy drive down the flank before picking out Dan Lawlor in the penalty area with a pin-point cross.
This time, however, Chapman saved his side with a solid block from the resulting shot.
Play quickly switched to the other end and Kidsgrove skipper Malbon – formerly of Port Vale – slipped through the defence and beat Duggan with an angled shot which deflected into the net via the far post.
In quick succession both keepers earned their keep with crucial saves, Duggan denying Malbon and Chapman saving at the feet of midfield work-horse Dan Banister.
Wind-assisted efforts by Sam Murphy and Waumsley then sailed over the bar as the Tulips looked to restore their two-goal lead before the break.
Playing into the wind in the second the Tulips played some excellent passing football without getting the final reward.
Kidsgrove also had their moments but were foiled on a number of occasions by the impressive Duggan, who was Vic Couzens’ choice for his man of the match award.
At the other end, only a goalline block on the line by Tom Morris denied Tulips’ talisman Stainfield, who had connected with a partial clearance following a corner.
While providing the spectators with some lively entertainment, the game did also have its unsavoury moments towards the end with a couple of scuffles which could and possibly should have warranted red cards being issued.
The first was an incident in the Tulips’ penalty area after substitute Charley Sanders had been knocked down with a flying elbow, while the second erupted in the dug-out area when a few differences of opinion were exchanged.
Cautions were handed out to Malbon and Tulips’ player/assistant boss Danny Hussey, but neither event took the shine off Spalding’s 12th league win of the season.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker, Jackson, Humble, Stainfield, Lee (Davies 66), Banister, Lawlor, Waumsley (Sanders 66), Graham, Murphy. Not used: Hussey.
Attendance: 111.
MOTM: Duggan.
Match sponsor: Reeves Tyre Centre.
