Tulips boss Chris Rawlinson was delighted to see youngster Jonny Lockie grab the limelight as his extra-time winner fired Spalding United into the EvoStik League Division One South play-off final.
Local lad Lockie came off the bench to fire home the 103rd minute winner after an epic contest against Stockbridge Park Steels at the Sir Halley Stewart on Tuesday night.
Spalding twice saw their Yorkshire visitors hit back to equalise before Lockie hammered home the final nail in the Stocksbridge coffin in the second period of extra time, much to the delight of Rawlinson.
He said: “Jonny has been outstanding this season. He’s been waiting for his big moment and he deserves it because he’s got a great future ahead of him.
“It was a really topsy-turvy game, but Stocksbridge are a great side and they’ve a got a couple of top drawer players.
“The team spirit kept us going and going.
“Nathan Stainfield got man-of-the-match, but I thought Kern Miller was just as good as well.
“Lee Beeson was superb while Matthew Varley and Nathan Whitehead did their jobs brilliantly to keep their dangermen quiet.”
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Tulips goalkeeper Michael Duggan was also forced to play through the pain barrier to help the Spalding cause.
Duggan sustained a painful kick in the kidneys attempting to prevent Stocksbridge from scoring their first equaliser.
With no reserve goalkeeper on the bench and with the prospect of penalties looming, Duggan soldiered on and produced a couple of crucial late stops.
Rawlinson added: “I wasn’t thinking about penalties because Duggan couldn’t dive properly and I was looking all over the pitch for an outfield player who might be able to dive about a bit.
“We didn’t have a goalkeeper on the bench which is a lesson for us to learn.”
Spalding were the dominant side in the opening period against a Stocksbridge team who had hit a rich vein of form to reach the play-off semi-finals.
Leon Mettam and Beeson both flashed early free kicks narrowly wide before Beeson had the best chance of the opening period only to be denied by an excellent save from David Reay in the Steels goal.
The home side’s pressure eventually paid off two minutes before half-time when Stainfield was bundled over and Varley confidently finished the resultant penalty.
However, the lead lasted just four minutes as Stocksbridge struck back early in the second period.
A speculative shot from distance hit the home crossbar and Richard Stirrup reacted first to bundle the ball home under pressure.
Spalding regained the lead again just past the hour mark when centre-half Stainfield produced a sublime piece of wing play to centre for Beeson to power home a header at the back post.
Stocksbridge though refused to roll over and, after two smart Duggan saves, levelled for a second time after 78 minutes when Harrison Biggins’ inswinging free-kick evaded everyone and nestled in the bottom far corner of the home net.
Beeson was denied a second by a superb last-ditch tackle after a bursting run from midfield as the match headed into extra-time.
Both sides created openings, but it was Lockie – who has graduated through the ranks at the club – who produced a composed finish to beat Reay at his near post.
Substitute Conor Higginson could have increased Spalding’s advantage in the dying throes as he rounded Reay, but was thwarted by a last-ditch goalline clearance.
Despite Stocksbridge launching a series of late raids on the home goal, Spalding stayed strong to book their place in Saturday’s final at Witton.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker, Jackson, Varley, Stainfield, Miller, Beeson (Downey), Whitehead, Wells, Mettam (Lockie), Lemon (Higginson). Not used: Spafford, Akar.
