Tired Tulips are tonked at Glossop as boss Easton welcomes a two-week break

Glossop NE 6
Spalding United 1

Spalding United slumped to their heaviest defeat of the BetVictor NPL South East Division season so far as Glossop North End thrashed them 6-1 on Saturday.

The Tulips, who now have two weeks without a game, were comprehensively defeated in Derbyshire as Porya Ahmadi (13, 33 and 60) helped himself to a hat-trick.

Mohammed Sheriff (39), Prince Ekpolo (86) and Liveset Mason (90) were the other Glossop scorers, with Nathan Rudman (79) grabbing the Spalding consolation.

Tulips boss Matt Easton, who handed a debut to defender Jack Withers, felt his side got what they deserved on the day.

But he doesn’t feel that the result soils Spalding’s otherwise impressive start to the season.

“It wasn’t a good day for us at all,” admitted Easton. “We just lacked a bit of energy and, for the first time a while, a bit of heart.

“To be honest, we had a couple of new partnerships out on the field – including in central defence – and it cost us.

“They got in behind us quite easily and it was just one of those days, I’m afraid. We didn’t deserve anything more than we got from the game.

“It’s perhaps a blessing that we now have a two-week break until our next fixture.

“Some of the lads will have a full week away from anything including training, which will do them the power of good.

“We also have an under-23 fixture that will allow those who need a few minutes to get them in a different environment.

“Overall, the picture isn’t too bleak. We have 15 points from 12 games, which represents a good start from us; I’d have snapped your hand off for that start to the season.

“We’ve got a good bunch of lads here and they have bonded very well. The only thing I’d change would be the injury situation, which has been very tough.

“So, although this was a bad result and performance, I couldn’t really have asked for much more from our first few months of the season.”

The one positive to come from the defeat was the return of Jamie Jackson as a second-half substitute.

He’ll hope to be involved against Stocksbridge Park Steels on October 19.

Tulips: Duggan, Hare, Hugo, Greenwood (Jackson 58), Richards, Withers, Zuerner (Hart 65), Everington, J Brownhill, Floyd (Rudman 74), Acar. Not used: Ramsden, Smith.

Attendance: 226.