Carlton Town 1
Spalding United 1
Pat Rayment admits that he sounds like a broken record after seeing his Spalding side drop two points at Carlton on Monday.
Andrew Tidswell’s 63rd minute strike earned the Tulips their first away point of the Evo-Stik League First Division South campaign, with Aaron Hooton (58) having put the hosts ahead.
Having wasted a host of good chances, the draw did feel more like a loss of promoted Spalding.
And boss Rayment insists that his side should have maximum points from their first four games, instead of the four they currently have.
“I’m getting sick of saying it, but we should have won,” bemoaned the former Peterborough United professional. “We’re just not converting our chances and overall dominance into wins.
“We’re pulling the sword on teams, but not pushing it in.
“I suppose it all goes back to our terrible pre-season. We’re having to bed the team in now and are paying the price.
“We just have to be patient. I’ve certainly noticed a step up in level from last season and we’re taking our time to adapt.”
With new signing Luke Thurlbourne – younger brother of left winger Jamie – in the squad after signing from St Neots Town on Sunday, Spalding were hopeful of bagging their second win of the season against a Carlton side that were without a point before the game.
From the outset the Tulips lay siege to the home goal, playing some excellent passing football.
As early as the eighth minute an Ash Burbeary corner was curled into the area to find the head of Tidswell but the ball was directed inches wide.
On a rare excursion into the Tulips’ area, Hooton turned Kern Miller and got in a firm shot which keeper Michael Duggan was equal to. Within a minute Tidswell’s 18-yard shot was deflected into the side netting.
Chris Hall, dominant as usual in the Tulips’ midfield, then found Mitch Griffiths with a fine pass wide on the right side. His resulting cross looked perfect for Burbeary just yards from the target, but he failed to make contact.
More good passing covering the whole field ended with Adam Jackson forcing a near-post save from Luke Cook.
Just before the interval, with the rain falling steadily and increasingly stronger, Jamie Thurlbourne’s floated free kick into the home area was chipped inches over the bar by Nathan Stainfield.
But all of the excellent play went out of the window after the interval when Hooton fortuitously fired them into the lead.
The Tulips weren’t behind for long, as Burbeary’s ball into the area was deflected into the path of Griffiths, who reacted quickly to knock it back low into the six-yard area for Tidswell to net.
Within a minute Hall was just wide with a stinger from 25 yards, while in the closing stages both Burbeary and Hall missed with the home goal at their mercy.
Tulips: Duggan, Leary, Jackson, Miller, N Stainfield, Webb, (L Thurlbourne 80), Griffiths, Hall, Tidswell (Waumsley 86), Burbeary (Thomas 86), J Thurlbourne. Not used: G Stainfield, McKue.
Attendance: 65
