It may be mid-July – but Spalding United are gearing up for their first competitive game of the 2018/19 season on Friday night.
The Tulips will play host to Lincoln City – who are expected to field their under-18 side – in the quarter-finals of the Lincs FA Senior Cup at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field (7.45pm).
Spalding memorably beat Boston United at the same stage of the pre-season competition two years ago, a result which helped build morale ahead of what was a successful season.
Boss Chris Rawlinson isn’t going to read too much into whatever happens against the League Two side’s young guns, but admits that he and his side will do all they can to win the competition.
He reckons it’ll be a different test for his new-look side and is looking forward to the return of competitive football.
“It’s obviously very early in pre-season,” said the Spalding supremo. “And there’s no getting away from the fact that this is essentially a pre-season game.
“Do we want to win? Of course we do, we go into every competition with the plan of winning.
“Is this one high on the list of our priorities for the season? Perhaps not.
“I’d imagine Lincoln will send their under-18s, who did well to draw with Manchester City under-18s recently.
“It’ll be a different test from what we’re used to and certainly won’t be easy for us.
“But winning is a habit and we’d like to get into that kind of groove ahead of the start of the league.
“It’s difficult at the moment, though. All of the pitches are very hard due to the lack of rain, which is obviously not ideal.”
Spalding got their pre-season schedule under way with a 1-1 draw at Grimsby Borough on Saturday, with young striker Jonny Lockie netting the goal.
They followed that up with a 2-2 draw at South Holland rivals Holbeach United on Tuesday night.
A Josh Ford effort gave the Tigers a 1-0 half-time lead, but Luke White struck twice to put the Tulips ahead.
However, Ford netted again to ensure the spoils were shared.
Spalding’s headline signing of the summer, striker Leon Mettam, misses Friday’s clash due to a injury that should only rule him out for a week or so.
Midfielder Conor Marshall is also unavailable after undergoing knee surgery.
But new recruits Tom Siddons, George Zuerner, Jordan Lemon, White and James Hugo should all be involved.
Spalding also visit Peterborough Northern Star on Monday (7.30pm).
SPALDING UNITED FIXTURE GUIDE 2018/19
(Evo-Stik League East Division only)
AUGUST
18 – Cleethorpes (A)
21 – AFC Mansfield (H)
27 – Wisbech Town (A)
SEPTEMBER
1 – Marske United (H)
11 – L’borough Dyn (A)
15 – Pickering Town (H)
22 – Ossett United (A)
25 – Stamford (A)
29 – Morpeth Town (H)
OCTOBER
2 –Carlton Town (H)
6 – Frickley Ath (A)
20 – Sheffield (H)
NOVEMBER
3 – Gresley (A)
10 – Lincoln United (H)
17 – Pontefract Col (A)
24 – Tadcaster Albion (H)
DECEMBER
1 – Stocksbridge PS (A)
8 – Belper Town (H)
15 – AFC Mansfield (A)
22 – Cleethorpes Tn (H)
26 – Brighouse Town (A)
JANUARY
1 – Wisbech Town (H)
5 – Gresley (H)
12 – Sheffield (A)
19 – Pontefract Col (H)
26 – Lincoln United (A)
FEBRUARY
2 – Frickley Athletic (H)
16 – Carlton Town (A)
23 – Stamford (H)
MARCH
2 – Morpeth Town (A)
16 – Tadcaster Albion (A)
23 – Stocksbridge PS (H)
30 – Ossett United (H)
APRIL
6 – Pickering Town (A)
13 – L’borough Dy (H)
20 – Marske United (A)
22 – Brighouse Town (H)
27 – Belper Town (A)
