WELCOME RETURN: Sam Murphy, pictured after scoring, should be back for the Tulips at Rugby Town. Photo by JAKE WHITELEY

Rugby return likely for Murphy as Spalding United bid to keep winning run going

Spalding United hope to welcome back midfielder Sam Murphy for the trip to Rugby Town on Saturday (3pm).

Fourth-placed Spalding go into the game on a four-game winning streak in Evo-Stik League First Division South, with new boss Marcus Ebdon yet to taste defeat in a league match during his reign.

Rugby find themselves 19th in the table – but they have won their last two on the bounce against Goole and Newcastle Town.

Tulips chief Ebdon admits that he couldn’t be happier with the start he’s made in the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field hot-seat, but he wants his charges to keep that momentum going in Warwickshire.

He said: “I know their manager (Dale Belford) well from our Tamworth days and know a couple of their players.

“Obviously I’ll be getting a report on them in the next couple of days.

“We’ll be taking a similar squad, but hopefully Sam will be back. He’s not been well and missed the Coalville game, so I told him to stay away so he didn’t pass the bug on!

“It’s important that we get him back, the squad is very small at present.

“But overall I couldn’t really be happier with how things have started for me. Not just the results, but the performances have been there too.

“I’ve been very impressed with how well the team is working together and the performances are encouraging.

“To be honest, they are really putting in a shift and hopefully that continues on Saturday.”

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