Spalding Ladies’ 1st 2
Norwich City 2nd 5
Goals: Evie Maltby, Georgina Maplethorpe.
On a mild Saturday afternoon, Spalding 1st were at home to Norwich City; the game started at a fast pace with end-to-end play.
After some great play Norwich were awarded a short corner which led to the first goal of the game.
After a fast break from Spalding, some great play in the D from Harriet Mowbray resulted in a Spalding penalty corner which was taken by Maltby who finished at the second attempt.
Despite some great saves by Gaby Taylor, Norwich managed to score two more goals before half time.
Spalding started the second half at a fast pace and created chances from great play down the wings before Maplethorpe scored Spalding’s second.
Despite continuing to defend well and several goal-line clearances, Norwich were just too strong and scored two more goals to take a 5-2 victory.
Spalding Ladies’ 2nd 1
Cambridge City 5th 1
Goal: Karen Timby.
After a debilitating defeat at the start of the season with key 2nd players absent, Spalding were keen to show City what the regular squad could do.
Sam Maltby and Lisa Dean orchestrated the play from the defensive line communicating effectively to the wing backs and midfielders.
Spalding were able to mark the spaces and pick up any rogue City players trying to break through.
Even after going 1-0 down after a well-executed penalty corner, Spalding did not relent.
Annie Price at wing back commanded the left side, shutting down any attempts into the D, receiving a well-deserved player of the match.
Into the second half, Naylor held up the play and subtlety placed the ball onto a city foot in the D.
Timby took advantage and put a straight strike hard into the opposition goal.
This was probably one of the most memorable games of the season so far.
Cambridge Nomads 2s 0
Spalding Ladies’ 3s 4
Goals: Sharon Amess, Pippa Bembridge, Lauren Harvey (2).
Spalding travelled away with the bare 11 still confident they could show why they have been slowly creeping up the league.
They made a terrific start with Alana Taplin and Sam Foston taking the ball straight into the attacking D and having a shot on goal.
It didn’t take long for midfielders Harvey and Jennie Bradley to shine through with their interceptions and level of skill, causing trouble everywhere they went.
Newcomer and player of the match Sophie Taplin listened carefully to the advice and quickly picked up how to attack but tracked back when needed too.
She managed to win a short corner for her team which the Spalding side converted second time round through centre back Bembridge who slipped it past the keeper.
The team worked hard to ensure they kept the scoreline to this for the rest of the first half and that goalkeeper Stephanie Wilson was well protected.
Although this experienced team had a lack of substitute players compared to the opposition, they did not tire and somehow kept their levels of energy and spirits high.
The defence were solid and backed each other with every tackle made and always managed to link with a Spalding player.
Youngster Honor Pearson made some fabulous moves and found herself in the midst of some attacking positions ensuring her side continued their dominance.
All of a sudden Harvey, one-on-one with the keeper, hit the backboard before hitting another one in soon after.
This Spalding team was feeling jubilant before sweeper Amess followed up a rebound from another well drilled short corner to end the game 4-0.
Spalding Men’s 1st 1
Ipswich 1st 7
Goals: Stu Cunnington.
Eleventh-placed Spalding hosted top of the table Ipswich. Spalding started well putting the visiting goalkeeper under pressure and for the first 20 minutes had the lion’s share of possession, however Spalding struggled with the Ipswich pace and clinical finishing finding themselves three goals down at half time.
A crest-fallen Spalding worked hard covering all areas of the pitch but were out-muscled and out-paced at key times and were no match for a high-flying, free-scoring Ipswich team.
A glimmer of hope came from a trademark Cunnington penalty corner
The Ipswich forwards continued to be the inquisitor of Spalding’s defence adding four more goals.
St Ives 3rd 2
Spalding Men’s 2nd 3
Goals: Aaron Scholes, Oli Baker, Matt Pottle.
Scholes, Baker and Pottle scored the goals to take the win away at St Ives.
St Ives 4th 3
Spalding Men’s 3rd 2
Goal: Adolfo Chantre, Graeme Matthews.
Spalding 3rd travelled to St Ives for an early pushback and started the game well with good pressure winning Spalding an early penalty corner.
St Ives coped well with the pressure and had several attacks of their own, resulting in them taking the lead.
In an end-to-end game, Spalding struck next through some good skills from Matthew Mcmanamon-Cookson inside the St Ives’ D, managing to get the ball to Matthews who made no mistake putting it away.
The match continued end-to-end with some good defending from both sides. St Ives took advantage of their pressure first and scored two goals to lead 3-1.
Some good work from Spalding’s Tim Amess on the right got the ball to the back post for Chantre to sweep home to make it 3-2.
Spalding put on the pressure in the last ten minutes but could not get the final pass away to get a result.
City of Peterborough 7th 1
Spalding Men’s 4th 1
Goal: Lucas Baker.
Following the excellent win against Bourne Deeping, the prior week, the fourth team travelled the short distance to Glinton to play City of Peterborough 7th who they had narrowly lost against in the first half of the season.
Spalding were short of experienced players whilst Peterborough had a plethora of experienced players, so it was always going to be a challenging match.
However, the young team simply rolled up their sleeves and went to work with a grit that had to be admired.
Charlie Smith nearly opened the scoring after barely a minute after he pounced onto a loose ball but saw his effort well saved.
In a cagey game, chances were at a premium with both sides defending well but the move of the match saw Spalding take the lead with a well worked goal.
Some quick thinking from Brendan Atkin following an interception saw the ball fall to Lewis Burton in space on the left-hand flank.
He looked up and found Lucas Baker unmarked in the D and his swift pass found the Spalding forward.
The youngster calmly then placed the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper into the far right-hand corner and Spalding were in the lead with the move taking barely five seconds.
However, City of Peterborough stepped up the pace and equalised from a short corner albeit on the second attempt as the first efforts was well saved by Eddie Sawyer making his debut ten minutes later. Sawyer then made a superb save from a flick from another short corner minutes later and Spalding went into the half-time break on level terms.
And that is how the score line stayed for the second half; however, Spalding played well and created some more chances with Smith having shots saved from short corners and Harry Shersby was inches away from getting another winner following his excellent goal the prior week against Bourne Deeping that proved to be the winner.
However, it also must be mentioned that Spalding had a huge slice of luck with seconds of the game remaining as a Peterborough breakaway shot hit the post and bounced to safety to give the travelling side a deserved point.
