Spalding United 2
Belper Town 1
A classy late goal from Charley Sanders was enough to edge Spalding United past nine-man Belper Town on Tuesday night – but boss Pat Rayment was left far from happy.
Sanders finished off the best move of the Evo-Stik League First Division South match six minutes from time at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field as the Tulips moved up to eighth in the early standings.
But that far from tells the story of the game, with Belper forced to play 85 minutes with ten men following the early dismissal of keeper Danny Haystead.
Undeterred, promotion hopefuls Belper went ahead on 21 minutes when Tom Liversedge marked his debut with a stunning opener from the edge of the box.
Josh Moreman equalised with a super solo strike on 32 minutes, but Spalding failed to make their numerical advantage count until the closing stages.
The visitors also had skipper Phil Watt sent off for an injury-time lunge on Sam Murphy, but they can be proud of their spirited performance.
Pride isn’t a word Tulips chief Pat Rayment would associate with the performance of his side, though. Although pleased with the win, he feels that his new-look charges now have to start delivering on their obvious potential.
Rayment said: “Obviously I’m pleased with the three points. But in a strange way the red card upset our strong start – and we couldn’t make the extra man count at all.
“Although I have to give them credit, I thought we made life very difficult for ourselves.
“Josh scored a great goal to level things, but in the second half we just didn’t play anywhere near our potential.
“It’s frustrating. We produced one great bit of quality to score the winner, but that was it.
“When you look at it, they had an outfield player in goal for 85 minutes – and we didn’t test him at all. It’s just absolutely ridiculous.
“Some of the players better start listening to what they are being told. Forget about this transitional period, as far as I’m concerned our honeymoon period is over. I’m demanding performances from now on.
“The gloves are off now and the players better start playing well. You can argue that the results have been OK, but at the moment it looks just a matter of time before we start losing games.”
In a game short on highlights, the flashpoint came very early as Haystead was sent off for handling Moreman’s goal-bound effort outside of his box.
You felt for the ex-Boston United stopper, who could do little to get out of the way.
Despite outfield player Michael Towey being forced to go in goal, Belper still looked the better side – and went ahead when Liversedge curled home superbly into the corner from just outside the box.
The Tulips were only behind for ten minutes, though, as Moreman raced clear on the left, beat two men and lashed a fierce, low strike into the corner.
Hosts Spalding were then a whisker away from taking a half-time lead when Mitch Griffiths hammered a shot of the upright in the final seconds of the opening period.
The second half was a bit of a non-event, but the Tulips did at least produce one moment of magic to pinch the points. Dan Lawlor’s sumptuous cross-field pass was expertly volleyed across goal by Paul Walker, allowing Sanders the easiest of tap-ins.
Watt’s red card followed, as his action perfectly conveyed Belper’s frustration at not being able to hold on for what would have been a deserved backs-to-the-wall draw.
Tulips: Duggan, Watson (Walker 71), Jackson, Spafford, Stainfield, Murphy, Griffiths (Banister 63), Millson (Waumsley 63), Sanders, Lawlor, Moreman. Not used: Hussey.
MOTM: Moreman
Attendance: 104
