The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding United 1
Sutton Coldfield Town 0
A debut strike from Matt Nolan fired Spalding United to a vital 1-0 victory against long-term Evo-Stik League First Division South leaders Sutton Coldfield Town on Saturday.
The ex-St Neots Town forward, signed from South Holland rivals Holbeach United on Friday, bundled home a close-range effort 15 minutes from time to settle a tight tussle at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
As well as knocking Sutton Coldfield off the top of the table, the win ends a run
of four defeats on the bounce for Pat Rayment’s Tulips – and keeps them bang in the play-off mix as the season enters its home stretch.
Chuffed Spalding supremo Rayment reckons that his side deserved all three points, but once again lamented the state of Spalding’s pitch after what was a pretty low-key clash.
He said: “Plain and simple, we deserved to win the game. We should have been ahead at half time, but they did come back into it and put us under a bit of pressure.
“Obviously we’ve brought Matt Nolan in – and I think he made the difference. It was great to see Jack McGovern being able to get forward, perhaps for the first time this season – which is his strength.
“But we’ve had to play on a pitch that you wouldn’t put cattle out to graze on – and that’s an honest assessment. I’ll I’m going to say is, thank god we’ve only got five home games left to play on it.
“It’s not fair for people to pay to come and watch that. This is Step Four football, we’re semi-professional. That pitch is never going to create any kind of spectacle.
“With that in mind, all you care about is the result. But with the players that I’ve got, it’s just not ideal at all.
“Casting that aside, I’m really pleased. We’ve had a mini-blip, but I’m over the moon with that result.
“Sutton Coldfield have got a very experienced manager and are a good team. We’re starting to turn the corner – and if we can get a run going again, it’ll be the perfect time to do it.
“They’ve been top all season, which takes a lot of doing. That comes with pressure.
“This league is going to have loads more twists and turns. Some of the teams that were struggling earlier in the season have strengthened, the likes of Tividale, Kidsgrove, Chasetown and Coalville for example.
“This win has given us a good platform and I’m really pleased. A clean sheet is always great and I don’t think anyone can argue that we deserved to win the game.
“On a side note, I thought Nathan Stainfield was outstanding for us. He’s a beast and would play on one leg for you, which he pretty much did today.”
On a heavy, boggy and wet Sir Halley pitch, Spalding almost made the perfect start in the big game of the day in Evo-Stik League First Division South. Midfielder Lewis Webb collected a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired in a low drive on 55 seconds, only for keeper Lee Evans to superbly tip the ball away.
Mitch Griffiths then fired a presentable opening over from just inside the area after being teed-up by Jack McGovern, while on-loan striker Alex Simmons struck an effort off the inside of the near post following a neat Nolan pass.
Sutton Coldfield did have their moments at the other end. Jordan Nadat saw a clever finish correctly ruled out, while his strike partner Ramone Stephens lashed a long-ranger wide following a period of pressure that yielded a corner.
The lively Nadat then worked 17-year-old Spalding keeper Sam Donkin with a low effort from the edge of the area, but the stand-in stopper got down superbly to cling onto the ball.
The Tulips were the better side in the opening period, though, and perhaps should have gone ahead just before the break when Nolan was twice denied from close range. His first effort was stopped by Evans, before the second was scrambled off the line.
After the interval the tables turned a little, with the leaders enjoying a sustained period of pressure. Donkin produced an excellent near-post save to keep out Justin Richards, while Nadat headed a presentable opening straight at the young keeper soon after.
Donkin’s next stop was even better, as he somehow kept out a fierce low drive from Richards, with the rebound expertly dealt with by Jamie Stevens.
The significance of that save was magnified by Spalding’s next attack, as they grabbed the goal that breathed fresh life into their season. It wasn’t pretty, but Nolan swooped to fire the ball home from six yards out at the back post after sub Tom Waumsley had been denied by Evans from an equally promising position.
There was one scare for the Tulips in the final ten minutes as Joel Kettle rattled a header against the near post, but Rayment’s men held on to clinch a priceless success ahead of Tuesday’s trip to basement boys Brigg Town (7.45pm).
Tulips: Donkin, Leary, J Thurlbourne, Stevens, N Stainfield, Webb, Griffiths, Hall, Nolan, Simmons (Waumsley 62), McGovern (Hodge 67). Not used: L Thurlbourne, Adams, Nuttell.
Attendance: 165
Sponsors’ MOTM: Donkin
Saturday’s results
Evo-Stik League First Division South: Coalville Town 7 Brigg Town 0; Gresley FC 2 Leek Town 0; Kidsgrove Athletic 2 Carlton Town 4; Lincoln United 0 Chasetown 0; Loughborough Dynamo 0 Market Drayton Town 2; Newcastle Town 1 Mickleover Sports 2; Norton United 4 Romulus 2; Rainworth Miners Welfare 2 Sheffield FC 3; Spalding United 1 Sutton Coldfield Town 0; Stocksbridge Park Steels 1 Stafford Rangers 4; Tividale P Goole AFC P.
