A stirring second-half comeback earned Spalding United a 2-2 draw in Saturday’s friendly against a strong Scunthorpe United team at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
Will Evans put the National League North team ahead after 28 minutes and they led 2-0 at the break after Ross Barrows’ free-kick deceived Peter Crook.
However, the Tulips hit back, led by Jack Roberts, who delivered two scoring crosses.
The first came on the hour-mark when his low ball was fired home by Dion Sembie-Ferris and two minutes later Dan Jarvis got on the end of another to level.
Manager Jimmy Dean was pleased to see his current charges hold his former team to a draw and said: “We were very unlucky to be 2-0 down at half-time. Between the two boxes we at least matched them in the first half.
“I was disappointed with the goals we conceded; that was basics, terrible ones to concede.”
However, despite the continuing absence of a recognised centre forward due to Bart Cybulski’s injury and Saleem
Akanbi’s illness, Dean was pleased with how his team adjusted, albeit lacking a clinical edge.
“We tried something different with Dion. He got into good areas on goal but I was disappointed not to take advantage of the opportunities we created.
“It was a really good workout and a draw was probably the right result.
“We played with an intensity that we’ve not had to in the previous games but it is only a pre-season friendly.
We’ve still got some big names to come back in.”
Spalding were back in action at Quorn for another pre-season match on Tuesday and have two more before the season kicks-off for real when they travel to Radcliffe on August 8 for their opening National League North match.
Two late goals from Ben Fowkes put the seal on the Tulips’ 3-0 win at Quorn. Sembie-Ferris had given the visitors an early lead.
