The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Deeping Rangers 1 Spalding United 2
UCL Premier Division
FORWARD THINKING: Pat Rayment. Photo by NIKKI GRIFFIN
Dan Cotton’s Easter Monday double ensured that Spalding United enjoyed a winning farewell to the United Counties League.
The winger notched on 37 and 43 minutes at Outgang Road, cancelling out Simon Ashton’s tenth-minute header from a Scott Ginty cross.
Cotton’s first was a clinical finish after Ashton’s back header fell short of home keeper James Doughty. He then raced onto a long Adam Jackson pass to bury what turned out to be the winner just before the break.
Jamie Graham did rattle the bar for Deeping in the second period, but the champions held on to make it 97 points for the season.
Although his plans are now firmly on next season and step four football, Spalding boss Pat Rayment told The Voice that he was pleased to end the season with a victory.
He said: “It was a satisfying win after the two Huntingdon losses. Regardless of the result, I couldn’t really have been too hard on the lads.
“It has been a long season and I think we lost a bit of intensity towards the end of it. No matter what anyone says, that will always happen once you win the league.
“My thoughts are now on next season. I’d like to get my business done in the next four to six weeks.”
Rayment also revealed that the Tulips have taken up their option to extend the contracts of Andrew Tidswell, Jamie Stevens, Mark Jones and Nathan Stainfield for next season.
Tulips: Roberts, Steadman, Jackson, Watson, Stainfield, Webb, Beeson, Hall (Ford), Allen (Stevens), Cotton, Thurlbourne.
