Spalding United 0
Bedworth United 1
A late Kamil Ciolek strike sentenced Spalding United to a surprise 1-0 home loss against Bedworth United on Saturday – but the Tulips are now guaranteed an Evo-Stik NPL First Division South play-off place regardless.
Polish debutant Ciolek nodded home an 87th-minute winner to settle an otherwise drab affair at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, with Spalding missing out on the chance to wrap-up third place in the league.
With results going their way elsewhere, the Tulips will now finish in fifth place at the very least and still need just one more win to secure a home draw in the play-offs.
However, Chris Rawlinson’s side once again paid for missing a penalty as Leon Mettam saw his 74th-minute spot-kick kept out by Josh Barnes with 16 minutes left to play.
Amazingly, it’s now four penalty misses in their last six games for the Tulips – something that hasn’t amused boss Rawlinson.
Despite calling reaching the play-offs an “wonderful achievement”, the Spalding supremo wasn’t impressed with what he saw from his side.
“We weren’t really at the races,” said Rawlinson. “Saying that, I couldn’t see us losing the game.
“Missing the penalty has cost us. It’s been a laugh and joke for us at times, but not this one.
“It’s guaranteed now that we are in the play-offs – and I should be stood here happy. But it’s hard to be after that.
“If we play like that in the play-offs, we’ll get knocked out.
“I thought we had the better chances in the game, especially after we changed system to 3-5-2.
“But the whole performance was flat and we couldn’t get going, for whatever reason.
“It’s a wonderful achievement for Spalding United to make the play-offs. All of the players must take the accolades for that.
“I’m keen to move on from this game, though.”
The first half was a very drab affair. Bedworth had the better of it, going close early on when Elliott Parrott cut inside and fired a deflected effort straight at Michael Duggan.
Jack Jeys then found a yard of space between the Spalding centre backs, but failed to properly connect with his half-volley.
That man Jeys had an even better opening moments later as he found even more space on the right-hand side of the box. However, he lashed his effort over the bar.
At the other end, Lee Beeson had the Tulips’ first chance – but his goal-bound effort crashed into team-mate Brad Wells and flew over.
Duggan was called into action again to routinely save Luke Rone’s low free kick, but the best chance of the half fell to Spalding just before the break.
Mettam took down a superb Beeson cross, but saw his close-range effort superbly saved by Barnes, who is on-loan at Bedworth from Derby County.
The second half started in a similar vain, with very little happening in the early exchanges.
Bedworth went close from the first genuine attack after the break when Jamie McAteer glanced a header just past the far post, while Spalding’s Jordan Lemon saw his long-ranger held by Barnes.
Then came the big moment of the game, with Nathan Stainfield hacked down in the box by Dom Perkins on 74 minutes.
Mettam stepped up, but saw his spot-kick saved by Barnes – then trod on the ball from the rebound with the goal gaping.
The Tulips paid for their profligacy, too. With just three minutes to play striker Ciolek, on his Bedworth debut, rose at the back post to head home a free kick.
It would have been 2-0 moments later but for a trademark near-post save from Duggan to deny Iyseden Christie, who was through on the right.
Although they missed the chance to clinch third place, it should be remembered that finishing in the top five represents Spalding’s best finish in recent memory.
They visit Lincoln United on Monday (3pm), knowing that a win there will guarantee a home draw in the play-offs.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker, Jackson, Varley, Stainfield, Spafford, Beeson (Downey 70), Whitehead, Wells (Acar 64), Mettam (Lockie 81), Lemon. Not used: Field, Higginson.
Sponsors’ MOTM: Nathan Stainfield.
Attendance: 195.
