Embarrassed Spalding United boss Pat Rayment was on the pitch reading the riot act to his makeshift squad after a 4-0 humbling at Deeping Rangers on Saturday.
Rayment had been purring with satisfaction after the 3-0 success at Yaxley two days earlier, but he left the players in no doubt about how he felt about this performance.
There was no eavesdropping required from the sidelines as the manager ranted about an “embarrassing” effort against an under-strength Deeping squad, and told players they needed to shape up or new ones would be brought in.
Rayment had been texted by the Deeping management earlier in the week, with a joking plea to “go easy” on them. In the event, they needn’t have worried as a Jamie Graham hat-trick and a belting Ryan Oliver free-kick saw them coast to an easy win.
Of course, pre-season is not all about results but whereas Deeping can be very satisfied with their performance ahead of Friday night’s UCL Premier Divison opener against Harborough Town, Rayment will be happy that the Tulips’ league campaign does not get under way until August 16.
There really was little positive for him to take from this game – and the rot started after just six minutes. Graham started a move on the halfway line and popped up on the edge of the box to net a deflected shot.
It was soon 2-0 as Graham ran on to a through ball and lobbed Tulips keeper Andy Hewitt.
The Tulips limped through to half-time, hardly testing Deeping keeper James Doughty and rarely threatening. A tame Julian Kelly effort into the side netting after Kern Miller had headed on a corner summed up their half.
Rayment was in the away dressing roomjust five minutes before sending most of the team back out onto the pitch. Four players were changed – front two Mark Jones and Jordan Thomas, Ngoni Dongo and Kelly making way for Andrew Tidswell, Jake Sansby, Tom Waumsley and Deacon Napier.
It fired up the Tulips for a decent 20 minutes of pressure in the second half, with Tidswell and Thomas (who was brought back on) having great chances to pull a goal back.
But Deeping drew the sting and Oliver – who had had an increasing influence on the game – smacked in a 25-yard free-kick.
Graham completed his treble late on after weaving his way out of trouble on the edge of the box and firing low past Hewitt.
Absent Deeping boss Tuncay Korkmaz will surely have been shocked at the text informing him of what he missed.
Tulips: Hewitt, Bore, Thurlbourne, Miller (Ebdon), Hall, Dongo (Napier), Kelly (Sansby), Webb, Jones (Tidswell), Thomas (Waumsley), G Stainfield.
Deeping: Doughty, Bates, Porter, Palmer, Holland, Lewis, Sturgess (Clayton), Ginty, Oliver (Sharp), Graham, Parker
