Late Lockie goal not enough as Spalding United slip to narrow Belper beating

BELPER TOWN 2
SPALDING UTD 1

Spalding United slipped to their fifth successive 2-1 Evo-Stik NPL First Division South defeat on the bounce on Saturday as mid-table rivals Belper Town edged a tight tussle.

A late strike from young talent Jonny Lockie wasn’t enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat for the Tulips, who hit the woodwork late on through Lee Beeson.

Goals from Kieran O’Connell (37) and Alex Steadman (50) did the job for the hosts, sending Spalding down to 14th place in the table in the process.

Belper were fractionally the more dominant in attack during the opening stages and fully tested keeper Duggan, writes RAY TUCKER.

Twice in quick succession the custodian pulled off good saves to deny O’Connell and Leandro Brown.

As the Tulips replied when a promising right-side break was ended by home skipper John Guy robbing Jamie Jackson.

The deadlock was broken on 37 minutes. Duggan did superbly to parry a stinging low drive at the foot of a post but O’Connell reacted smartly to scoop the free ball over the line.

Gary King, Beeson and Jackson were all in ascendance immediately after the break but a second home goal in the 50th minute from Steadman left the Tulips with a mammoth task.

They battled manfully to the end but were unable to salvage even a share of the points, which would have been fully deserved.

Lockie, who replaced the injured Jackson for the second half, set the late charge rolling on 70 minutes, emerging from a packed six-yard area to turn King’s low cross over the line at the near post.

Eight minutes later the Tulips’ man-of-the-match Beeson saw a thunderbolt free-kick from fully 35 yards crash against the far post with keeper Danny Roberts rooted to the deck.

Tulips: Duggan, Fixter (Spafford 71), A Jackson, Davison, Humble, Walker, Maddison (Neil 63), Beeson, King, J Jackson (Lockie 46), Acar. Not used: Smith.

MOTM: Beeson.

Attendance: 184.