The final evening fixture of the season saw the lights start to fade on Spalding United’s play-off hopes as they fell 2-0 at Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday.
After surging up the table with an unbeaten run of 11 games to romp clear of niggling relegation worries, the Tulips had been on the fringe of the play-off places.
However, just one point from the last nine available has seen Jimmy Dean’s team slip back into mid-table, seven points adrift of the last play-off place with only 11 games remaining.
Dean made two changes to the starting line-up from Saturday’s defeat at Leiston, with veteran striker James Clifton wearing the no.2 shirt and right back, captain Glenn Walker, playing with 11 on his back. Damell Johnson returned to the heart of defence in place of Saturday’s goalscorer Sam Cartwright who dropped to the bench, along with Scunthorpe loanee Jason Law.
Johnson and Kieron Freeman had early chances for The Tulips, while goalkeeper Aaron Chapman had to be alert to turn a home effort round a post.
Walker twice played Bart Cybulski through but both times he lifted his efforts over the bar.
They were made to pay for that profligacy after 38 minutes when a mix-up in defence allowed Rashawn Scott to score against the run of play.
Chapman tipped another home effort wide before Clifton sent a free-kick curling over the crossbar.
Maniche Sano-Sani did get the ball into the home net but his effort was ruled out for offside and then Cybulski twice came close, firing another chance high before hitting a post with a header, before Liam Moore’s follow-up was cleared off the line.
With Spalding pushing for an equaliser, once again they were caught on the break with another error allowing Luka Chalwell to run clear to double the home lead with only ten minutes to play.
Tulips (at Stortford): Chapman, Clifton (Sherif), Fox, Moore, Johnson, Lawlor (Law), Sembie-Ferris, Freeman, Cybulski, Sano-Sani (Chettle), Walker. Subs: Cartwright, Leshabela.
Attendance: 282.
