The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Boss Chris Rawlinson insists that he’s committed to Spalding United as he seeks to end the club’s seven-game losing streak.
The Tulips chief is adamant that he has no intention of walking away from the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field post – and admits that he has been given no reason to think his job is on the line.
Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Loughborough Dynamo saw Spalding slip to 15th place, but – with just one side going down in Evo-Stik NPL First Division South this season – they have a ten-point cushion from the drop zone.
This Saturday sees third-placed Stocksbridge Park Steels visit the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field (3pm), with Rawlinson sure that the Tulips’ luck will turn soon.
And, having ridden out the much-publicised budget cuts that saw Jordan Lemon, Jamie Jackson and Paul Walker leave the club, Rawlinson intends to continue with the “project” for the foreseeable future.
“Obviously, questions are going to be asked of you as a manager after seven defeats in a row,” said the Spalding supremo. “But I’ve been given unequivocal backing from everybody.
“The club wants me to see this project through and I have no plans to walk away.
“It’s not like we’ve been losing these games by five or six goals – we’ve been going down by the odd goal.
“We’ve also missed a number of penalties. Take Saturday’s game; the keeper dived the wrong way on Lee Beeson’s penalty, but somehow the ball got stuck under his leg and didn’t go over the line.
“That’s how it has been going for us as of late. But our luck has to change sometime.
“I’m a realist, we’ve had to make changes here for the good of the club.
“Maybe I need to stick to a formation and a way of playing that suits us, instead of tinkering to try and find that elusive victory.
“It won’t be pretty, but we’ll get there. All I ask is that the fans stand by us.”
This Saturday is a rematch of one of the most memorable games in Rawlinson’s reign as Spalding manager.
The Tulips beat Steels 3-2 in April’s play-off semi-final, with Jonny Lockie jumping off the bench to grab an extra-time winner.
Fast forward eight months and Stocksbridge are in the play-off mix again, but Rawlinson’s side are looking over their shoulders at the other end of the table.
“They are a good side,” added the Tulips boss. “They’ll be looking at the play-offs again.
“But we have to believe in ourselves. Anything is possible in this league – just look at Sheffield FC winning 4-0 at Cleethorpes last weekend.
“I’ve said this winter will be tough and our next two (Stocksbridge and Corby Town) will be very difficult.
“But if we play to our strengths and get that bit of luck, we can get that win.”
The Tulips have no new injury concerns for Saturday, so will name the same squad that lost at Loughborough.
