Spalding United held hotly fancied Macclesfield to a goalless draw at the Sir Halley Stewart Field, earning the Tulips a point from an entertaining and chance-filled match.
The result leaves Spalding with four points from their opening three games at the higher level. It came after Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat by Oxford City, a match manager Jimmy Dean believed his side could have approached with more attacking courage.
Chances at both ends in Spalding
Jack Roberts, Ben Fowkes and Tom Pugh all went close during the opening stages against Macclesfield, who also created a series of opportunities. Spalding continued to push for a winner late in the contest, with Roberts and substitute Bart Cybulski both threatening in the closing minutes.
The draw followed a difficult first home National League North match against Oxford City on Saturday. Spalding matched their visitors for long periods but were beaten by Tyrone Marsh’s 40th-minute strike.
The goal proved controversial. Spalding defender Connor Johnson had gone down injured near the edge of his penalty area, while Alfie Bendle was caught in possession in the centre circle. Oxford took advantage, with Johnson’s position leaving him playing the visitors onside as they attacked.
“I don’t think we were great, and was a little bit disappointed with the performance,”
Dean said after the Oxford match, according to The Spalding and South Holland Voice. He said Spalding needed more courage and conviction when facing adversity, arguing that players had too often chosen to pass backwards rather than attempt the forward option that might create an opening.
Manager calls for greater clinical finishing
Dean also questioned the decision to allow play to continue before Oxford’s goal, saying the referee should have been aware that a Spalding player was down inside the area.
“Oxford were a good team and I was impressed by them but it was disappointing the game was decided by a real contentious decision from the referee,”
he said.
The manager added that Spalding’s lack of a cutting edge had also cost them. The Tulips created good chances but were unable to convert them, an issue Dean said they must address when opportunities arise.
“We had some good chances and we must be putting those away. We have to be clinical when the chances present themselves.”
Spalding’s team against Oxford was Crook, Olopade, Kelly, Moore, Johnson, Roberts, Pugh, Cybulski, Ceesay, Jarvis and Byrne. Substitutes used were Sani, Bendle, Fowkes, Straughan-Brown and Xavier-Jones, while Wilks and Fox were unused. The attendance was 841.
For the Macclesfield match, Spalding fielded Crook, Olopade, Kelly, Moore, Johnson, Roberts, Pugh, Ceesay, Fowkes, Byrne and Straughan-Brown. Cybulski replaced Fowkes, and the substitutes were Wilks, Bendle, Sani, Fox and Xavier-Jones. Attendance was 922.
