Spalding United (H): Match Report

Bucks do more than tiptoe through the Tulips

Despite making life less comfortable for themselves again, the Bucks extended their longest unbeaten sequence of the season to five matches with a victory that propelled them into the top half of the table. Goals from Louis Moult, his third in successive games, and a winner from defender Oliver Cawthorne overturned an early deficit as Kevin Wilkin marked his 200th competitive game in charge of the club with a third successive victory.      The Bucks were again struck by injury issues, with defender Zak Lilly (shoulder) and midfielder Charlie Williams (hamstring) absent from the Bucks’ squad. Wilkin strengthened by adding attacking player Michael Gyasi, on loan from Bedford Town, on Friday; he replaced Williams on the left-hand side of an attacking trio with Moult and Jamie Meddows.  The game could hardly have started worse for the Bucks. After three minutes, a long throw from the left caused problems in the penalty area, and when the ball was not fully cleared, Dion Sembie-Ferris reacted quickest. He swivelled sharply onto his right foot and guided a low finish beyond Brandon Hall and inside the goalkeeper’s left-hand post to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Telford responded positively and began to create openings of their own. Remi Walker was the first to threaten, the midfielder receiving possession on the right edge of the penalty area before firing into the side netting. Mal Benning then delivered a dangerous cross from the left that had to be turned behind for a corner, while Sam McLintock collected the loose ball after the partially cleared set-piece and struck a left-footed effort that Peter Crook had to move sharply to his right to hold. The visitors still threatened, and a mix-up between Cawthorne and Matt Curley allowed Joe Nyahwema to advance into the box, his low cross-shot deflected into Hall’s side netting for a corner.  That led to the Bucks’ leveller in the 17th minute. The visitors’ corner was cleared, Gyasi was found on halfway, and his presence drew two defenders to him. Gyasi found the industrious Sam McLintock in support, and he sent Walker bursting into space down the right. Walker sent a low, driven cross into the six-yard box, and Moult poked home on the stretch to level. As their confidence grew, the home side increasingly dictated the pace. Walker dragged a shot wide from the left side of the box, while Moult failed to convert Curley’s inviting cross from a few yards after excellent work from Meddows in the build-up, playing the ball through defender Michael Kelly’s legs. Alex Fletcher then tried his luck from 20 yards after another contribution from Meddows and a lay-off from McLintock, but his strike cleared the crossbar. Telford’s pressure finally produced a second goal five minutes before the break. Shane Byrne’s foul on Fletcher, some 40 yards from goal, earned the visitors’ player a booking and gave the Bucks a free-kick. The delivery was directed into Cawthorne's path by Moult, with sme deft chest control, and the defender timed his move perfectly; the ball landed at his feet, and he stayed onside before calmly slotting it through Crook’s legs to complete the turnaround and give the hosts a 2-1 advantage at half-time. After the restart, Telford looked the more likely side to add to the scoring. Walker tested Crook from the edge of the area after a neat lay-off from Moult, while the same combination almost worked again shortly after, with Moult linking with Meddows before drifting an effort wide. Midway through the half, Moult and Walker combined to dispossess Moore on the halfway line, but Walker’s powerful finish flashed wide of the target. The visitors pushed for an equaliser during the closing stages. Dan Jarvis sent one effort wide before heading over from a cross a minute later, probably the clearest chance that Spalding created all afternoon. Substitute Maniche Sani also headed off target from a corner as the pressure grew, the Tulips taking more risks and forcing Telford to absorb pressure and play on the counterattack. When the Bucks struggled to clear their lines, they were forced into a crucial block from Joe Nyahwema’s strike on the edge of the area, players hurling themselves in front of the ball to defend their advantage. Despite the late pressure, Telford defended resolutely and saw out the final minutes to seal a win that should have been secured much earlier. Wilkin admitted that his team, despite their recent turnaround, has work to do to be at the level he expects; however, winning while you’re working on your faults isn’t a bad place to be.

All images are copyright of Kieren Griffin Photography.