A stunning demolition of fourth-placed Redditch United saw Spalding United go top of the Southern League Premier Central Division table as the race for a place in the National League gathers pace.
The 7-0 victory, coupled with morning leaders Harborough’s draw at Barwell, put Jimmy Dean’s men a point clear and eight ahead of third-placed Needham Market in what is already looking to be a two-horse race for the single promotion spot.
Manager Jimmy Dean admitted the result had been as much a shock for him as it was for the hosts, who had been on a good run of form.
“Of course I’m happy with that,” he said. “Redditch played well for the best part. There’s always going to be games like that and I’m glad because I was a bit apprehensive coming into it. There’s been flu, Covid or pneumonia around the camp, I don’t know what’s it’s been but we had a lot of players struggling.”
Dean said that despite the scoreline, his team knew they had been in a battle.
“They really tested us in wide areas and both our full backs got booked. If you give them an inch they’ll take a mile and are very well coached They’ve got some good young players there with a lot of ability.
“However, all things considered, that’s my favourite performance but it’s not the time to get carried away; it’s still only November.
“There’s no easy games all we can do is control the controllable and enjoy these moments because they don’t come round a lot. It’s a really tough league.”
The Tulips went ahead after 19 minutes when Ben Hart’s free-kick was headed against the bar by Connor Johnson but fell for Lewis White to head in.
It was 2-0 after 33 minutes when Josh McCammon intercepted a stray pass in his own half and, after a forceful run forward, released Jack Roberts to fire home.
A tight first half could have been even closer but for the reactions of Spalding goalkeeper James Dadge. He made a terrific instinctive block to keep out Bart Cybulski’s ricochet towards his own goal on the stroke of half-time.
Cybulski was then involved in his usual penalty area when he got on the end of Gadge’s goalkick and the loose ball fell for McCammon to smash in and make it 3-0 after 64 minutes. Seven minutes later it was four when Dion Sembie-Ferris’ cross deflected off a home defender into the path of Roberts and he tucked away his second goal of the game and 15th of the season.
Cybulski brought up the nap-hand in the 73rd minute when he sent the home goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot after a foul on Roberts.
Number six arrived in the last minute when Roberts blocked a clearance, drew the goalkeeper and squared the ball for substitute Mane Sani to slide it into the empty net.
Sembie-Ferris completed things in the second minute of stoppage time when he cut in from the wing and saw his 20-yard shot take a deflection to loop into the opposite side of the net to where the goalkeeper had dived.
Spalding-born attacking defender Noah Freeman was on the bench for the Tulips, having joined from Peterborough United on a youth loan until January 3.
Tulips: Dadge, Hart, Olapade, White, Johnson, Thompson, Roberts, McCammon, Cybulski, Sembie-Ferris, Ceesay. Subs: Freeman, Sani, Lawlor, Nicholson.
Attendance: 457.
