The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
SPALDING UNITED 1
BOSTON UNITED 0
SATISFIED: Spalding boss Pat Rayment.
Jordan Thomas netted a classy winner 11 minutes from time to earn the Tulips an eye-catching friendly victory over higher-graded Boston United on Tuesday night.
The striker buried a low cross from fellow substitute Andrew Tidswell to make it two wins from as many pre-season games for Pat Rayment’s side.
It wasn’t quite a full strength Pilgrims side, but the Tulips still showed enough to prove they will be a force to be reckoned with this year.
Next up for Spalding are tough tests against King’s Lynn Town (home, Saturday, 3pm) and St Neots Town (away, Tuesday, 7.45pm) – and Raymentreckons his side are on the right track.
He said: “In pre-season you hope to improve game by game and we’ve certainly done that. There’s so much more to come from us too.
“It’s nice to get the result in terms of boosting confidence, but pre-season counts for little. What we are doing is building up some momentum and that’s all I can ask for.”
Boston created much the better chances in the first period, with Dayle Southwell twice missing the target when well placed.
The Tulips were much improved after the interval and should have gone ahead when man-of-the-match Nathan Stainfield headed a Jamie Thurlbourne corner straight at Sam Vince.
It mattered little though, with Tidswell latching onto a mistake from Adrian Grociak and delivering a low ball for striker partner Thomas to lash past substitute keeper Andy Hewitt from eight yards.
Tulips: Duggan, Bore, Thurlbourne, Miller, N Stainfield, Webb, Kelly (McKue 72), Leary, Waumsley (Thomas 46), Jones (Tidswell 66), Hall (G Stainfield 66).
Attendance: 268
