Evo-Stik Division One South
Sir Halley Stewart Field, Spalding
Tuesday, 7th October 2014, 7.45pm
Tulips Snatch A Late Winner
Gresley can consider themselves unlucky to have returned from the long trip to Lincolnshire without anything to show for it.
Mitch Hanson had leveled the proceedings from the spot in the first half after Andrew Tideswell had given the Tulips an early lead but a moment where Gresley's concentration deserted them allowed Kern Miller the chance to grab an unlikely winner.
Caretaker manager Wayne Thornhill was forced to make a change with Matt Roome not able to make the journey due to work commitments. He also chose to give a start to Rob Mulonga with Alex Steadman dropping onto the bench.
Spalding got the best of starts when Tideswell hit an unstoppable blistering curling shot which gave Ross Atkins no chance with just 7 minutes on the clock.
Gresley looked a little shell-shocked at first but eventually clawed themselves back into the game with Luke Edwards heading Lucas Harrison's cross from the left over the bar.
Still the visitors were finding it difficult to get their normal flowing football going and passes were going astray at an alarmingly regular rate.
Rob Mulonga had the measure of Michael Leary with his runs down the left and it was from one of those which led to Gresley leveling the match. The winger cut into the area but was brought down giving the referee no option but to point to the penalty spot. Hanson took the spot kick with such ferocity that it almost took the net off its fixings.
Almost straight from the re-start Spalding went close to retaking the lead but Gresley keeper Ross Atkins made a fine save at his near post and but the rebound was smashed high and wide.
As the first half drew to a close a corner from the left by Harrison found Edwards who turned but put his effort into the side netting.
Gresley looked far more determined in the second half and were soon taking the game to their hosts and they went close to taking the lead when Jack Langston hit a pile driver of a shot which was block on route to goal.
Spalding almost grabbed the lead in a somewhat unusual manner. Harrison tried to clear a corner but managed to hit team mate Hayden Johns full in the face with the ball ricocheting onto the post. With the ball pinging around the box Atkins made two outstanding save to keep the scores level.
The referee Andrew Park then missed a corner for Gresley. Kieran O'Connell hit a shot which was heading for the far bottom corner of the net only for United's keeper Michael Duggan to dive to his right turning the ball around the base of the post but amazingly the referee gave a goal kick.
A free kick by Harrison led to a half chance for Jamie Barrett at the far post who could only fire over the bar.
Harrison then picked out Edwards who fired wide but Gresley looked the most likely of the two sides to score again. Barrett had a header cleared off the line and then Martin Smyth put his shot narrowly wide.
The chances were coming for the visitors with O'Connell having a shot on goal deflected and Smyth putting a free kick over the bar.
Mulonga then provided Edwards with a chance putting a great cross in from the left only for Duggan to make a fine save pushing the on target effort away. Minutes later Smyth made a run down the right before cutting in to the area and pushing the ball in towards O'Connell who went close to connecting at the near post.
Spalding grabbed the winner with possibly their only attempt of note in the second half. A corner from the right by Jamie Thurlbourne was met by Miller whose header found the back of the net with the help of the underneath of the bar.
Despite Gresley continuing to press forward looking for another equaliser the two big centre halves of Miller and Nathan Stainfield ably assisted by Lewis Webb repelled any threat that the visitors could muster.
