Cleethorpes Town 1
Spalding United 1
Report by RAY TUCKER
A late equaliser denied Spalding United what would have been an impressive three points at much-fancied Cleethorpes Town on the opening day of the new Evo-Stik NPL East Division season.
George Zuerner’s close-range finish on 32 minutes gave them a 1-0 half-time league in the all-Lincolnshire clash on Saturday, but Brody Robertson hauled the hosts level 12 minutes from time.
A single point was indeed very welcome for Chris Rawlinson’s side, but it could so easily have been all three for the Tulips but for some missed scoring opportunities and some smart saves by home keeper Dylan Parkin – particularly in the second half, writes
On the hour the keeper performed heroics with a double save, firstly managing to get behind a Danny Brooks blockbuster and then denying Jordan Lemon who had homed-in on the loose ball.
Parkin somehow managed to clutch onto a stinging 25-yard strike by Tulips’ substitute Scott Floyd in added time, too.
The early stage of the game was not particularly entertaining, with lots of lofted ball in windy conditions, and a number of tricky bouncing ball situations for the players to contend with. But play was evenly contested.
The best movement of the first quarter resulted in the deadlock being broken.
Breaking down the left side, the Tulips put together some sharp passing to find Jordan Lemon in space.
He made ground before pinging over a low cross into the home area for Zuerner, who made no mistake from 12 yards.
Moments later more good play by Lemon found Tom Siddons but he fired over the bar.
Ben Davison, meanwhile, was posing a continual threat to the home defence.
His height advantage was proving to be quite a handful for former Tulip colleague Paul Walker, who was occupying a central defence role for The Owls.
The second period was nip-and-tuck, with play continually from end to end but with few solid scoring chances.
Cleethorpes attacked with some pace and threatened with a good right side movement, but the end product was missing. Floyd and Conor Marshall both had good efforts go unrewarded before the Tulips, who had looked solid throughout in defence, finally cracked and Robertson punished them with a clinical close-range shot from an acute angle on 78 minutes.
The closing 15 minutes (including four of added time) were hotly contested, but the game ended in an honourable draw for both teams.
Spalding now host AFC Mansfield on Tuesday night (7.45pm)
Tulips: Duggan, Marshall, Hugo, Fixter, Miller, Spafford, Zuerner (Floyd 58), Brooks, Sidddons, Davison (King 70), Lemon (Lockie 83). Not used: White, Mettam.
MOTM: Davison.
Attendance: 425.
