Goole 0
Spalding United 0
What a difference a few days makes in football.
Just four days after an impressive 4-1 Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field success over Goole, misfiring Spalding United were held to a disappointing stalemate at the home of the same opposition on Tuesday night.
Tulips boss Pat Rayment had demanded maximum points from his side ahead of the double header – and to say he is disappointed with a share of the spoils at Marcus Street is an understatement.
Rayment has laid the blame firmly at the door of his four frontmen, who he has branded “an absolute disgrace”.
The Spalding supremo lamented missed chances from both Gregg Smith and Tom Waumsley, while he claims substitute frontmen Avelino Vieira and Nathan Adams made “no impact at all.”
The raging Tulips chief went on to claim that the four frontmen “let the side down” – and questioned whether any of them deserved paying for their efforts.
“My strikers, all four of them, were an absolute disgrace,” blasted the ex-Peterborough United professional. “They should apologise to their team-mates, it was embarrassing.
“Gregg and Tom missed chance after chance, while Avelino and Nathan made no impact at all.
“For what they are paid, these kind of performances are nigh-on scandalous. In fact, they’ll be lucky if they get paid for that.
“No disrespect to Goole, but we have to go there and win. Four points from the two games just isn’t enough.
“Michael Duggan hasn’t had a save to make and we missed chance, after chance, after chance.
“I’m absolutely raging with them, I really am. The defence and midfield did very well, but what can you do with such inept forwards ahead of you?”
The draw leaves Spalding fifth in Evo-Stik League First Division South, but their place in the play-offs is by no means guaranteed. Indeed, sixth-placed Gresley and Stafford Rangers in seventh are just two and four points behind Rayment’s men respectively.
The Tulips’ next two games couldn’t really be any harder, with a trip to second-placed Newcastle Town on Saturday (3pm) followed by a home date with leaders Mickleover Sports on Tuesday (7.45pm).
Rayment feels that the Goole stalemate adds even more weight to both games – and admits that he may be forced to make changes to his frontline before the transfer deadline at the end of March.
But he was at least buoyed by the performance of new recruit Lee Beeson, who shone on his return to Spalding after making the switch back from Holbeach United.
Winger Beeson was part of the Tulips team that won the UCL Premier Division at a canter last season and is a timely addition to the squad with Mitch Griffiths unavailable for the clashes against the top two.
Rayment added: “Newcastle and Mickleover were always going to be big games, but they’ve got added significance now.
“One thing is for sure, Matty Nolan will start up front. I might close my eyes and pick his partner at random, that’s how annoyed I am with them.
“It was great to have Lee back with us, he was excellent. That was one of the main highlights for me and we’re very pleased with him.”
Defender Nathan Stainfield and midfielder Chris Hall, along with the above-mentioned Nolan, should return to the Spalding squad on Saturday.
Tulips: Duggan, Griffiths, Jackson, Stevens, Leary, Webb, Beeson, McGovern, Smith (Vieira), Waumsley (Adams), J Thurlbourne. Not used: L Thurlbourne, Hartley, Pycock.
Attendance: 78
Tuesday’s results
Evo-Stik League
First Division South: Goole AFC 0 Spalding United 0; Market Drayton Town 1 Sheffield FC 6; Norton United 0 Leek Town 1.
ChromaSport UCL
Premier Division: Long Buckby AFC 2 AFC Kempston Rovers 4; Newport Pagnell Town 5 Northampton Sileby Rangers 3; Peterborough Northern Star 2 Wisbech Town 1; Wellingborough Town 1 Desborough Town 2.
