Sheffield FC 4
Spalding United 3
Bemused Pat Rayment lamented four uncharacteristic defensive gaffes as he saw his Spalding United side end up on the wrong side of a seven-goal thriller at Sheffield FC on Saturday.
Ashley Longstaff’s double (11 & 46) and a Reece White (48) put hosts Sheffield in a seemingly dominant position in the Evo-Stik League First Division South clash, but Andrew Tidswell (54) hit back for Pat Rayment’s side.
The Tulips fell further behind when Tim Whittaker (70) made it 4-1, only for midfielder Lewis Webb (74 & 85) to set up a grandstand finish.
There was no leveller for Spalding though – and Rayment hung the blame firmly on central defensive duo Nathan Stainfield and Kern Miller, branding their performance “playground stuff.”
He said: “I don’t want to say it, but my two central defenders have gifted them the goals. It’s very uncharacteristic of Nathan and Kern – but that’s two games in a row where they have had a shocker.
“The two of them have been rocks for us. But for some reason they have made basic defensive errors lately, schoolboy stuff. To be honest, it’s the sort of stuff you’d see on the playground.
“It’s a shame, as Sheffield will be the first to admit that we gifted them four goals.
“We played well going forward and I was pleased with the spirit the lads showed to come back from 4-1 to 4-3. I think we’d have won the game if there had been five more minutes.
“Andrew Tidswell also had two goals ruled out – and one of them was way onside. He ran from behind a man.
“It’s very disappointing.”
The home side grabbed the lead on ten minutes. White’s precision cross from the right was converted by the unmarked Longstaff, who gave keeper Michael Duggan no chance from 12 yards out.
Down the other end, the outstretched legs of home keeper Joe Green kept out a Jamie Thurlbourne drive following a rare Tulips’ break, while defender Miller came to the Tulips’ rescue with a goalline clearance to stop Sheffield moving 2-0 ahead.
However, by the mid-way period of the opening half the Tulips featured more prominently with some crisp passing sequences. Mitch Griffiths forced a save from the keeper, while a Tidswell shot was well off target.
Shortly after, leading scorer Tidswell did had keeper Green at full stretch, though.
Things looked promising for Spalding ahead of the second period, but some shambolic defending from two corners saw Sheffield stretch their lead with two goals in as many minutes through Longstaff and Reece.
The Tulips quickly pulled a goal back with Tidswell homing in on a cross from skipper Michael Leary, but it was 4-1 on the hour when Ben Algar provided the chance for the oncoming Whittaker to slip the ball past a diving Duggan.
Spalding weren’t done there, though. Webb’s deft 74th-minute strike from the edge of the home area set up an intense period of pressure for the home team to contend with. Their goal was under constant threat – but they were thankful when Tidswell’s far post effort was disallowed.
However, they were soon on the back foot again when Webb drove in the Tulips’ third five minutes from time.
It was very nearly an improbable 4-4 when Webb was denied a hat-trick by the woodwork in the dying seconds when his rasping drive came back off the post.
Having struggled to score but been solid in defence at the start of the season, it now seems Rayment has the exact opposite problem to deal with as Spalding bid to propel themselves into the promotion picture come April.
Meanwhile, Rayment has confirmed that the Tulips have a seven-day notice of approach in for Boston Town’s versatile Jordan Nuttell.
The youngster can play in central defence or attack, with Spalding hopeful of sealing a deal for him by the end of this week.
However, any deal for Boston United’s Conor Marshall now looks unlikely. Rayment has been tracking the full back for some time, but he looks set to stay with the Pilgrims.
More transfer updates are expected after tonight’s (Tuesday) home game with Gresley (7.45pm). The Tulips have no fresh selection concerns.
Follow @Andrew_Clucas on Twitter for live updates from the clash.
Tulips: Duggan, Leary, Jackson, Miller, N Stainfield, Webb, Griffiths, Hall, Tidswell, Oliver (Jones 65), J Thurlbourne. Not used: Waumsley, G Stainfield.
Attendance: 202
