Kidsgrove Athletic 0
Spalding United 1
It’s often said that the calling card of a top team is to win when playing badly.
That’s exactly what Spalding United did on Saturday, as Tom Waumsley’s 15th-minute effort earned them a laboured win over Evo-Stik League First Division South strugglers Kidsgrove Athletic.
At this stage of the season, with the Tulips hunting a place in the play-offs and, ultimately, promotion, three points was all that mattered.
Usually a hard taskmaster, Spalding boss Pat Rayment admitted that his side deserved to lose. But he refused to slate his side on this occasion.
“We were lucky,” said Rayment. “But how many times have I said the opposite this season?
“Maybe we were due one.It wasn’t a performance at all. But we’ve got three points and that’s all that matters.
“Over the course of a season, we’ll allow ourselves one terrible performance like that if you can get the points.
“It’s as simple as that.
“We played very poorly and deserved to get beat.
“We simply put the game behind us and move on.
“All of the players sneaked off afterwards without a peep – and they’ve usually got something to say for themselves! I’ll let them off, just this once.”
Kidsgrove dominated large chunks of the game against a Spalding side missing the defensive strength of Nathan Stainfield, the midfield guile of Jack McGovern and the attacking presence of Matt Nolan, writes Ray Tucker.
And, with skipper Michael Leary playing with a severe dose of conjunctivitis, the hosts could easily have reversed the scoreline had they taken their chance.
The Tulips had their best moments in the opening stages and their early goal was just reward.
A solid movement from well in their own half ended with a fine strike from Chris Hall.
Kidsgrove keeper Joe Hemmings blocked the shot with his chest, but leading scorer Waumsley pounced to grab his 18th league and cup goal of the season and his 25th from all competitions.
Five minutes later Michael Duggan was at full stretch to deny the wasteful Anthony Malbon, who later broke clear but blasted the ball over the target. Ross Davidson also wasted a good opportunity.
The Tulips, though under pressure, mainly due to their own lack of cohesion and loose passing, did have a few good efforts in front of goal but without forcing keeper Hemmings into any heroics.
The second half followed much the same pattern. Kidsgrove had the ball in the net two minutes after the break, but that effort, and one by the Tulips late on, were both ruled out for goalmouth infringements.
There were some anxious moments as referee Nigel Smith allowed play to linger on for an additional eight minutes, but it was the Tulips who held out to bring home the points.
Tulips: Duggan, Banister, Jackson, Stevens, Leary, Webb, Beeson (Vieira 80), Hall, Adams (J Thurlbourne 57), Waumsley, Griffiths. Not used: Pycock.
MOTM: Duggan.
Attendance: 140.
- Spalding United have been drawn at home to Stamford in the new-look Lincs FA Senior Cup.
The competition will now take place in pre-season, with the first round clash to be played before July 18. Should the Tulips progress, they’d host Gainsborough Trinity in the next stage the following week.
A potential semi-final against either Grantham Town, Grimsby Town or Brigg would await on or before August 1.
