SPALDING UNITED 2
CHASETOWN 0
A stunning strike by Nathan Whitehead was the icing on the cake as Spalding United recorded their third successive home win on Saturday to move into fourth position in Evo-Stik NPL First Division South.
The midfielder, who is attracting the attention of higher-graded Matlock Town, pounced on a loose clearance by visiting Chasetown and hit the ball on the volley from 25-yards out to give goalkeeper Curtis Pond no chance and settle the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field match on 81 minutes.
After a stalemate first half, the Tulips had broken the deadlock on 53 minutes. Man-of-the-match Cenk Acar was tripped as he waltzed into the Chasetown area and leading scorer Gary King stepped up to rifle home the resulting penalty.
After an early flourish with Jacob Lovatt and Ryan Wynter sighting the home goal, the Tulips settled to achieve a rather routine victory with Acar, revelling in a more central position, a constant threat to the visitors with his darting runs into their territory.
Time and again he was subjected to some desperate challenges, but got up and dusted himself down and fully deserved his MOTM nomination.
Only a deflection denied Whitehead early in the game, while Jamie Jackson was on the end of a deep throw by his namesake skipper to test Pond.
When Chasetown offered a reply, they got little change from the central defence partnership of Neal Spafford and Ellis Humble.
Midway through the opening half a King free-kick from 20 yards, awarded for a foul on Acar, was just outside a top angle of the goal.
With goal area pressure maintained, both Jamie Jackson and Jacob Fletcher, – enjoying his first start since arriving on a work experience exercise from Doncaster Rovers – had good shots blocked.
It was much of the same after the break and Whitehead’s stunning late strike ended all hope of Chasetown springing a surprise finale.
Tulips: Duggan, Lemon, Jackson, Fletcher, Humble, Spafford, McGhee (Fixter 78), Whitehead, King (Millington 86), Jackson, Acar (Reittie 85). Not used: Townrow, Walker.
Tulips’ Social Club MOTM: Cenk Acar.
Attendance: 133.
