Spalding United 3
Carlton Town 0
An Andrew Tidswell double eased Spalding United to the most comfortable of wins over nine-man Carlton Town on Thursday as they kicked off 2015 in typical style.
Star Spalding striker Tidswell put the hosts ahead with a routine rebound finish on 17 minutes and rounded off the victory with a classy third in added time.
In between those two strikes Carlton had both Aaron Hooton and Lee Torr sent off, the second of which allowing Jamie Thurlbourne to net from the penalty spot ten minutes from time.
It’s now ten wins and two draws from 12 games for Pat Rayment’s Tulips, who have also won their last eight home matches on the trot.
The victory keeps the Tulips bang in the Evo-Stik League First Division South title mix in fourth position – and Rayment admitted that his side were deserved winners.
“I’m not going to say too much about their red cards, it’s not my place to say,” said the Spalding supremo. “But they never really looked like scoring – I can’t remember them having a shot.
“I’m pleased, we rotated the squad and got some players a bit of game time – Lee Clarke got an hour, for example. We’ve also been lucky to get rid of the snow so quickly and get the game on.
“I think freshening things up worked. We looked very strong despite missing Jordan Hempenstall in attack.
“Without him we are very light up top, but I thought Tom Waumsley and Andrew Tidswell worked them hard.
“It wasn’t a pretty game to watch, but we won lots of the ball and they were chasing us all game.
“The pitch wasn’t great, but it’s been worse. The wind was the main problem today, it made life very difficult.
“We missed a lot of chances and ‘Tids’ could easily have had a hat-trick, but we got the job done.”
With snow on the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field surface less than 24 hours before kick-off, it was something of a surprise that Spalding were able to host their first fixture of 2015.
The pitch passed an 11am inspection, but it was gusty winds that would prove to be the toughest element for both sides on New Year’s Day.
Spalding were the better side from the off, with Chris Hall unlucky to see a rasping 25-yard drive fly just wide of the far post.
Striker Waumsley then curled a speculative effort just past the other post as the Tulips set about trying to find an elusive opener against a Carlton side that offered little as an attacking threat.
The deadlock was eventually broken on 17 minutes when Waumsley expertly controlled a hopeful ball forward and forced a point-blank save from Martin Kearnley.
Unfortunately for the Carlton keeper, the ball dropped at the feet of Tidswell – who made no mistake with an open goal tap in.
The chances kept on coming for Spalding, as Thurlbourne stung Kearnley’s palms with a fierce effort from fully 30 yards.
Tidswell then wriggled free on the edge of the box and forced another save from the visiting number one with a left-footed drive that was destined for the top corner.
Nothing much changed after the interval, with the one-way traffic continuing. Lee Clarke, who was making his full debut following a festive switch from Yaxley, worked Kearnley early on with a half-volley.
That man Tidswell then raced clean through again following fine work from Lewis Webb, but he was denied again by the legs of the Carlton stopper.
Then came the first of the dismissals, with Hooton giving his marching orders for what looked like dissent just after the hour mark. It triggered something of a collapse for the away side, who then seemed to lose their heads a little.
Smelling blood, Spalding went for the kill as Waumsley fired an effort wide at the near post and then saw a sliding shot from a Mitch Griffiths cross cleared off the line by Torr.
Tidswell had another opportunity to double his tally with a sliding effort following a poor clearance from Kearnley. It would have been a goal had the striker got his effort on target, but the odds were always against him.
In the end the missed chances mattered little, with the hosts putting the clash to bed ten minutes from time.
The lively Tidswell raced clear down the left and was bundled over in the box by Torr before he could get a shot off. A red card was the only decision for the referee – and Thurlbourne did the rest with a cool penalty that gave Kearnley no chance.
There was still time for a third, as Tidswell showed great footwork in the box before slamming home his second into the bottom left corner.
Spalding now face a tricky trip to sixth-placed Gresley on Saturday. The Derbyshire side are sixth in the standings, just four points behind Rayment’s charges.
The Tulips chief is respectful of Saturday’s opposition, but reckons Gresley won’t be looking forward to the showdown.
“We’ll have to be on our mettle for Gresley on Saturday,” added Rayment. “I think they’ve got one of the best home records in the league.
“But we’ll get there with confidence – that’s what ten wins and two draws in your last 12 games does for you.
“I don’t think they’ll be looking forward to seeing us come to town.”
Injured hitman Hempenstall should be back in an otherwise unchanged Spalding squad this weekend, although Ryan Oliver, Luke Thurlbourne and Jordan Nuttell could all return.
Gresley had been unbeaten at home in the league before losing 6-1 to visitors Mickleover Sports on New Year’s Day.
Tulips: Duggan, Leary, Jackson, N Stainfield, Stevens, Hall, Clarke (Griffiths 60), Webb, Tidswell, Waumsley (McGovern 82), J Thurlbourne (McKue 90). Not used: Hussey, Pycock.
Vic Couzens’ MOTM: Chris Hall
Attendance: 162
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Evo-Stik League First Division South: Goole AFC 1 Lincoln United 1; Gresley FC 1 Mickleover Sports 6; Loughborough Dynamo 2 Coalville Town 2; Market Drayton Town P Kidsgrove Athletic P; Newcastle Town 2 Norton United 2; Rainworth Miners Welfare P Sheffield FC P: Romulus 1 Sutton Coldfield Town 2; Spalding United 3 Carlton Town 0; Stafford Rangers 1 Leek Town 0; Stocksbridge Park Steels P Brigg Town P; Tividale 2 Chasetown 0.
UCL Premier Division: Wellingborough Town 1 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 2.
