Sheffield FC 0
Spalding United 4
Resurgent Spalding United turned in a five-star performance to record their first ever victory over Sheffield FC at their Home of Football Stadium on Saturday.
And the Tulips did it with a clean sheet, only their third in the Evostik NPL First Division South this season, to consolidate their second placing in the league, just four points behind Shaw Lane with two games in hand.
Manager Dave Frecklington switched things around by including four new signings in his squad – and all played their part with flair, skill and determination in a pure team display which had the home team on the back foot from the outset.
The Tulips were ahead inside the opening ten minutes with a cracking 25-yards shot from full-back Jordon Lemon, which just curled away from goalkeeper Chris Butt and entered the net just inside the top angle of the woodwork.
Man-of-the-match Cenk Acar then dispatched a rather fortuitous penalty on the stroke of half time to give the team a comfortable cushion.
The young Lincoln City loanee hit the target again on 83 minutes, while new signing Conor Higginson opened his account for the club with a neatly taken goal three minutes into the second half.
Of the other new players, Burton Albion academy loanee Charlie Gatter settled in beautifully alongside Nathan Stainfield in the centre of defence, and Jack Wightwick, signed from neighbouring Boston Town, showed why the manager rates him so highly.
Dan Durkin, who has joined the club from higher league Grantham Town, came off the bench to create the opening for Acar to complete the scoring.
Sheffield are a better side than their lowly league position would suggest, but they were overwhelmed by the quality of the Tulips, who, after a couple of indifferent performances, were superb.
Playing with authority all over the pitch, a number of the players could easily have qualified for the man-of-the-match nomination on any other day.
But on Saturday Acar was a different class, leading the home defence a merry dance all afternoon.
The home goal was under siege from the opening whistle with Bradley Wells flashing a header inches wide.
Lemon’s tremendous strike moments later was testament to what was to follow, with Higginson’s turf hugging shot well saved by keeper Butt and Whitwick firing just over the bar from the edge of the area.
Sheffield fought back and Connor Hall’s 20-yarder was inches over Michael Duggan’s crossbar before controversy came at the other end.
Referee Nicholas Hawksby brushed aside appeals for a foul when Wells went down in the area. But one of his assistants called him over and a penalty was awarded which Acar converted with aplomb.
The game was over for Sheffield three minutes after the interval. Acar took on and beat his marker wide on the left side and crossed low into the area where Higginson was a welcome recipient, blasting the ball past a helpless Butt.
To their credit, Sheffield never gave up the cause with both Hall and Finlaw, who was denied by a super near post block by Duggan, going near to reducing the deficit.
They did get the ball into the net at one point, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
However, the rampant Tulips came storming back.
Substitute Durkin was defiant when challenged by Pat Lindley and peeled the ball inside to find Acar, who worked sufficient space to fire in his second and the Tulips’ fourth goal and round off a great away performance.
Tulips: Duggan, Lemon, Walker, Varley, Stainfield, Gatter, Higginson (Wright 58), Whitehead, Wells (Downey 74), Wightwick (Durkin 70), Acar. Not used: Hamilton.
MOTM: Cenk Acar.
Attendance: 265.
