Chasetown 5
Spalding United 1
By RAY TUCKER
Spalding United’s recent woes in Football Association competitions continued on Saturday with a thumping 5-1 defeat at the hands of ten-man Chasetown in the extra preliminary round of the FA Trophy on Saturday.
Only two weeks earlier the teams shared the points in the BetVictor NPL South East Division clash at the same Scholars Ground venue.
The first half of Saturday’s re-match, a bit feisty at times, was again closely contested, but the second period was a different tale.
Spalding made a great start in the FA Trophy clash and went ahead on 11 minutes when Joel Brownhill netted from the penalty spot after George Zuerner was fouled.
Joe Brown levelled for the hosts ten minutes later, but was then sent off for a second bookable offence to give the visitors a massive advantage.
However, that only served to inspire Chasetown and they went ahead just before the break when Liam Kirton turned home a rebound.
It was 3-1 early in the second period when Kirton doubled his money, before the same player wrapped up the win with his hat-trick strike with around 20 minutes left to play.
Kieran Brown, on for Kirton, rounded off the rout in the final minute to complete a miserable day for the Tulips.
“That’s what happens when you ask the same players to keep playing every Saturday and Tuesday,” admitted boss Matt Easton. “I’ll make no excuses, Chasetown were better than us on the day, it just felt like everything was conspiring against us injury-wise.”
For Matt Easton’s wafer-thin squad, ravaged by injuries and the pressures of playing a total of eight matches during the month, it was just a ‘match too far’ with fatigue taking its toll.
Adding to the problems, two players – Jenk Acar and Kelvyn Brookes – picked up injuries in the pre-match warm-up and Josh Spencer bowed out of the action after just 23 minutes with a recurrence of his Achilles injury which had sidelined him for a number of weeks.
Taron Hare also picked up a head injury on 17 minutes and the team was down to ten before he returned to see out the game with a heavily bandaged head.
It all started so well for Easton’s side when a neat left side movement between James Hugo, Brownhill and Zuerner resulted in the latter being upended in the area.
The prolific Brownhill stepped up to convert the penalty, sending keeper Curtis Pond in the wrong direction.
But the advantage was short lived with Joe Brown slotting in a 21st minute equaliser from close range.
The centre forward’s involvement in the game ended in the 35th minute following that red card, though.
That failed to stop the hosts and Alex Smith, deputising for the unavailable Michael Duggan in the Tulips’ goal, saved superbly to prevent the Scholars adding to their score.
At the other end, Acar fully tested Pond as the game continued to be played from end-to-end.
But the home team went in at half time with their noses in front. Danny Cocks’ 20-yard free kick rattled the woodwork, but Kirton pounced to score from the rebound.
Early in the second half Kegan Everington’s free-kick was deflected off target, but the Tulips’ energy levels were showing signs of fatigue and Chasetown took full advantage to exploit this with relentless attacking football.
Kirton went onto complete his hat-trick with goals on 62 and 71 minutes and, in a pin-ball wizard like sequence, substitute Kieran Brown added his name to the scoreline in the final minute to round off Spalding’s misery.
Tulips: Smith, Hare, Hugo, Zuerner, Richards, Spencer (Mason 23), Floyd, Everington, J Brownhill, Acar, Hart. Not: Brookes, Ramsden.
Attendance: 139.
