Newcastle Town 5
Spalding United 4
Bemused boss Pat Rayment bemoaned a rare defensive horror-show as his Spalding United crashed out of the FA Trophy in a nine-goal thriller at Newcastle Town on Saturday.
The all-Evo-Stik League First Division South tie was perhaps the game of the Preliminary Round, but that was no consolation for the Spalding supremo.
The Tulips twice led early on through Mitch Griffiths (4) and Josh Moreman (10), but were pegged back by Neville Thompson (6) and Tim Sanders (12) before Thompson put the hosts ahead on 16 minutes.
Marc Grocott (38) then fired Newcastle 4-2 ahead, only for Jake Newman to hit back on 53 minutes.
Amazingly, Omar Haughton restored the hosts’ two-goal advantage on 71 minutes, rendering Newman’s second goal ten minutes from time as scant consolation.
Rayment said: “I’m totally gobsmacked. I’ve never been involved in a game like this in my entire career as a player or manager. I just cannot work out how a defence that has been one of our main features for so long, can suddenly turn in a display like today.
“It’s totally incomprehensible and is so out of character. It’s all down to the basics and we did not do those at all.”
The defensive frailties apart, the Tulips did play some good football and scored four goals away from home – which would normally be enough to secure a win.
A draw on Saturday would have been a fair result, particularly following a much improved second half display and having a goal disallowed for a marginal offside decision.
This goal, had it counted, would have given Jake Newman a well deserved hat-trick in only his second appearance for the club.
Griffiths gave Spalding the lead on four minutes as he finished well past Adam Alcock after latching onto Moreman’s pass.
Within 60 seconds Newcastle found themselves level as Thompson raced clear and finished well past Michael Duggan – despite looking well offside.
The Tulips responded immediately and re-took the lead when Moreman found the net from close range.
However, Sanders fired the home side level again from 12 yards with his left foot after Duggan had saved Thompson’s powerful effort.
Thompson was involved again moments later as he gave the hosts the lead for the first time, tapping into an empty net after Duggan had palmed Tom France’s shot onto the crossbar.
The Tulips’ defence, normally so solid and secure, was breached again on 38 minutes when Grocott volleyed home – leaving the side facing an uphill second half battle.
Newman pegged back the Spalding deficit with a neat finish in the 53rd minute, heading home at the near post following an opening created by Jackson and Moreman down the left side.
At this stage the Tulips were pushing for a leveller, but it was the home side who again found the mark through when Haughton’s grass-cutting 25-yards drive found the net. The Tulips, however, continued to battle and were further rewarded with a second headed goal by Newman ten minutes from time, Griffiths the provider on this occasion.
The scores should been levelled in the closing minutes but Tom Waumsley, who had just replaced Griffiths, fired high over the bar after Charley Sanders’ tight angled effort had hit the bar.
Tulips: Duggan, Watson, Jackson, Spafford, Stainfield, Lawlor (Banister 56), Griffiths (Waumsley 83), Bell, Rodney (Sanders 60), Newman, Moreman. Not used: Murphy, Walker.
MOTM: Newman.
Attendance: 60
