Ipswich 2nd 2
Spalding Ladies’ 1st 0
Spalding made the long trip to Ipswich with a change of formation and high hopes. Some great back transfers and leads from the forwards allowed the visitors to have great possession and attacking drive. Spalding were able to move freely through the middle with some great one-twos and runs round the backline. They were unfortunate not to convert the short corner they achieved and a counter-attack saw Ipswich scored the opening goal.
Spalding held their heads high in the second half and continued with the same composure. The forwards were unlucky not to convert some of the great balls that came from the centre backs. They were unlucky not to score but the hosts did find the target to double their advantage.
Cambridge South 4th 1
Spalding Ladies’ 2nd 1
Goal: Kelly Tizzano
The home team settled early with the advantage of understanding the play of their pitch. Spalding were bamboozled by balls that bobbled past their sticks, however, their skill and experience, as well as keeping to their new formation, they started to dominate play. Despite a multitude of attacking opportunities they were unable to slot the ball home.
The second half saw a succession of short corners for both teams with the quick thinking of Honor Pearson and Amy Naylor to the fore for Spalding.
Fourteen minutes into the second half Lauren Spenceley received the ball outside the D and passed to Tizzano. Knowing there was no one else in the area other than the goalkeeper, who was running towards her, Tizzano had no time to turn so scooped up the ball on her reverse towards goal. Both teams watched as the ball flew up to the top left and gently dropped past the goal line to give Spalding took the lead.
Despite some outstanding kick outs from Freya Lee in goal, Cambridge stuck a low hard bottom corner penalty strike, which deflected off a defender into the goal for the equaliser.
Spalding Ladies’ 3rd 3
Cambridge South 5th 0
Goals: AJ Taplin, Karen Timby, Sam Foston
Timby added strength and experience in the centre for Spalding and she dictated play. The midfield attacked relentlessly and were awarded a penalty corner, from which Taplin slotted the ball home. The visitors looked strong at times but the Spalding defence stood strong with youngster and player of the match Holly Gleave enjoying the game of her life.
Christina Dewing was also on form and made some incredible saves.
Spalding used their speed down the wings in the second half and eventually won another short corner. Taplin played the ball to Timby and she smashed it in to make it 2-0.
The forwards continued putting pressure on the South defence with some brilliant movement on and off the ball but it was Foston who eventually found the back of the net to round off the scoring.
Spalding Men’s 1st 3
Old Southendian 1st 1
Goals: Joe Rogers, Stu Cunnington
Spalding were looking to bounce back after a punishing defeat at Cambridge.
Lots of quick movement and neat passing saw Spalding find space in the opposition half. Two shots narrowly missed the back post in the first ten minutes with Spalding aware they have been vulnerable to a quick counter-attack.
However on this occasion that was not the case. Tidy passing down the right gained a well-earned short corner, which was then upgraded to a penalty stroke after a cynical foul stopped Harry Naylor from scoring. Rogers blasted the ball into the top right corner to put Spalding ahead.
Jacob Drew applied pressure from the off and forced Southend into a 50/50 pass, which allowed Cunnington to pick up the ball and glide past the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. Spalding continued to monopolise the game but were caught sleeping five minutes before the break when Southend found a gap through the middle and went on to score.
Southend started the second half with some good play and applied pressure to the Spalding defence but Nathan Davy scuppered their hopes with a fantastic block. Some fast transferring across the backline brought Spalding back into the game. Rogers spotted Jacob Baker’s run down the wing and produced a magnificent aerial pass for the striker to run on to. He drove hard down the line and beat several players before slotting the ball through for Naylor to score.
The man of the match was Matthew Peach.
Kettering 2nd 1
Spalding Men’s 2nd 4
Goals: Aaron Scholes, Darren Grooby, Tim Maltby, Harry Walsh
For the second week running, Spalding Seconds scored four goals, but this time it brought a win.
They bounced back from the 5-4 defeat to Cambridge Nomads with a solid display after the previous week’s loss. Early pressure brought a couple of penalty corners and they found the net on the third attempt with Scholes finding the backboard.
Spalding continued to dominate and after some good work in midfield Grooby finished a move to earn a two-goal cushion. Another came shortly after with Maltby finishing sharply past the goalkeeper to earn a 3-0 half-time.
The second half again saw Spalding stay in control and they extended their lead when debutant Harry Walsh found the net. Kettering pulled one back but it was only a consolation.
Spalding Men’s 3rd 5
Kettering 3rd 1
Goal: Glenn Richardson (3), Tom Pilgrim (2)
An intense start saw Spalding put Kettering under pressure with Richardson converting an early goal. Pilgrim doubled the lead with a back-post tap-in from a penalty corner. Richardson scored his second on the stroke of half-time to make it 3-0.
The second half started at the same pace as the first with Richardson completing his hat-trick within two minutes. Pilgrim made it five with his second of the game. Spalding started to relax, allowing Kettering to put on late pressure and got their reward with a goal.
Cambridge University 4th 12
Spalding Men’s 4th 0
A Spalding fourth team, consisting mainly of juniors, faced a stern test at a top-of-the-table side who have been scoring goals for fun.
The University side was full of running and showed plenty of skill but Spalding held out bravely for 15 minutes. They finally conceded in disappointing circumstances after the ball had been clearly hit twice on the way out from a short corner. Once that goal went in, it was one-way traffic as wave after wave of attacks bombarded the Spalding goal. As the game wore on, they grew more tired, and the goals started to go in.
To Spalding’s credit, they kept going and came out of the game with a lot of kudos for the fact they never gave up. They could have scored themselves in the second half when a short corner from Finlay Roy was well saved and Brendan Atkin saw his shot go just the wrong side of a post.
Long Sutton Men’s 1st 3
Ely City 1st 2
Goals: Josh Fyson (2), Olly Taylor.
Revenge was sweet for Long Sutton as they hit back from two goals down. Sutton had lost the reverse fixture 6-0 and trailed 2-0 this time but gave themselves hope when Fyson pulled one back just before half-time.
Fyson levelled matters before man of the Taylor struck the winner.
St Neots Men’s 1st 6
Long Sutton Men’s 2nds 2
Goals: Ed White, Troy Croxford
A depleted Seconds battled hard but failed to upset their high-flying hosts, who led 3-0 at the break.
White pulled one back but Neots struck three more before man of the match Croxford completed matters.
