STOCKSBRIDGE PS 0
SPALDING UNITED 2
A fully-committed performance – including two sweetly-taken goals and a penalty save by Michael Duggan – saw Spalding United open their Evo-Stik NPL Division One South season on a winning note.
After a hit and miss pre-season programme, manager Chris Rawlinson at last had a full squad – apart from the injured Jordan Lemon – to select from and all but two had a taste of the action against a hardworking Stocksbridge Park Steels side on Saturday.
To a man they were superb, full of enthusiasm, commitment and quality, defending resolutely and attacking with flair to ensure the points were heading back to the Sir Halley.
Cenk Acar opened the scoring on 20 minutes, leaving Gary King to settle the clash with a cracker 17 minutes from time.
However, Duggan’s spot-kick save from Joe Lumsden early in the second half proved key for Rawlinson’s new-look charges.
It was almost impossible to choose a man-of-the-match.
Acar was a serious contender, but a solid knock on his head left him with mild concussion and he was replaced by Jonny Lockie for the second half.
Lockie, just back from a two-week holiday break, led the home defence a merry dance with his electrifing bursts of pace.
In the end, full-back Paul Walker got the nod ahead of his attacking team-mates.
Steels, who Spalding defeated in the play-off semi-final last season, started well and Brodie Litchfield set the home fans buzzing with a super strike that whistled inches over Duggan’s bar after seven minutes.
But shortly afterwards the Tulips had Steels at panic stations, firstly from Lee Beeson’s corner kick and then from a trademark long throw by Matt Varley.
Within minutes Acar and King featured in the first of many neat exchanges, with the former Lincoln City scholar firing inches wide of a post.
But the teenager was not to be denied. Beeson’s free kick from just outside the area crashed into the wall and Acar pounced on the free ball to give keeper David Raey no chance and the Tulips a 20th minute lead.
Steels worked hard to get back on level terms, but had little joy against a resolute defence in which Ellis Humble starred and skipper Adam Jackson did his bit, denying the home team shot at goal following a free-kick.
Seven minutes into the second half Varley conceded a penalty but Duggan ensured the Tulips’ lead remained intact with a brilliant save from Lumsden.
Ten minutes later the Tulips doubled their advantage thanks to a tremendous strike from 20 yards by King, the ball despatched past a bewildered defence with blistering pace following a Lockie flick on.
Steels never gave up the chase and twice tested Duggan in the closing stages.
But, at the other end following another Lockie assist, King saw his low projected shot deflected inches passed a post.
Tulips: Duggan, Walker, Jackson, Varley, Humble, Spafford, Beeson (Fixter 53), Whitehead, Acar (Lockie 46), King, McGhee (Harris 82). Not used: Durkin, Smith.
Attendance: 106.
