Spalding United 3
Lincoln United 0
Pat Rayment has told his Spalding United side to book a home play-off date after seeing them cruise past a talented Lincoln United outfit on Easter Monday.
Clinical first-half strikes from Matt Nolan (15), Dan Banister (25) and Nathan Stainfield (44) were the least the Tulips deserved in the all-Lincolnshire clash at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
With just four games left to play, Spalding are four points behind second-placed Newcastle Town, with a game in hand, and two points shy of third-placed Leek Town, having played a two games more.
The Evo-Stik League play-offs are one-off games, with the teams finishing in second and third given home ties against the sides in fifth and fourth respectively.
The Tulips travel to Leek – who lost 1-0 at Newcastle on Monday – this Saturday (3pm), with Rayment gunning for a place in the top three after seeing a stunning showing from his charges against a Lincoln side that are just outside the top six.
He said: “I thought we were superb. We were just too strong – and as pleased as I was going in 3-0 up at half time, seeing the game out in the second half was great.
“I don’t think Michael Duggan had a save to make in the second half. It’s a very pleasing result for us and we need to take this into Saturday at Leek.
“Considering all of the injuries we had, I’m very pleased. Chris Hall had to fill in at centre-half and did very well. Having Matt Nolan back was a big boost, though. He uses all of his experience and it makes a difference to how we want to play.
“Lincoln are a good team and have come a very long way in a short period of time. Make no bones about it, they’ll be a force next season.
“If we can keep this form going and produce what we’re capable of, I’m sure we’ll be where we want to be at the end of the season.
“The first priority is to get into the play-offs. Once that is achieved, you’ve got to try and get into second or third position and get that home tie.
“We’ve still got a chance to finish second in the league. It’d be brilliant to bring the play-offs to this ground and the town. From there, anything could happen. We’d certainly go into any game here full of confidence.”
Despite missing Jamie Stevens, Michael Leary and Lee Beeson, Spalding made relatively light work of a Lincoln side that included ex-Tulips Andy Toyne and Jake Gibson.
After a largely even first 15, veteran frontman Nolan lit up the contest with a classy opener. The striker collected the ball on the right and snapped back to his left foot before unleashing a powerful effort into the far corner from 18 yards.
The goal came moments after Lincoln’s Matt Cotton fluffed a relatively simple chance from six yards out – a moment that could easily have changed the mood of the contest.
Still, the Tulips seized the initiative once ahead and doubled their money ten minutes later when Banister buried his first for the club. Nolan was involved again, looping a deep cross in for Jamie Thurlbourne, who nodded down at the back-post for the former St Ives Town man to half-volley home from close range.
At the other end, great blocks from Adam Jackson and the immense Stainfield kept out efforts from Cotton and Andrew Hutchinson, before Lincoln keeper Rob Peet was forced into a stunning stop to keep out a Tom Waumsley effort.
It was very much game over from the resulting corner, though, with stand-in skipper and man-of-the-match Stainfield meeting Thurlbourne’s corner with an unstoppable header than flew into the net.
The second-half was a difference game, with Spalding expertly sitting on their lead with a disciplined performance. Hutchinson did rifle an effort just over from ten yards as The Whites searched for a consolation, but the best opportunity of the period fell to the hosts.
It was the lively Banister who raced onto a long ball forward to get in behind the Lincoln defence, but his clipped effort just missed the target.
The Tulips will assess the fitness Beeson, Stevens and Leary ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash at Leek.
Tulips: Duggan, Griffiths, Jackson, Hall, N Stainfield, Webb, Banister, McGovern, Waumsley, Nolan, J Thurlbourne (G Stainfield 62). Not used: Pycock, Vieira, Adams.
MOTM: N Stainfield.
Attendance: 206
