Spalding secure strong home point against Macclesfield but miss the chance for all three
Spalding United would probably have taken a point at home to Macclesfield Town at the start of the evening but they were ultimately left to rue the fact it was not all three.
In front of an impressive crowd of 922 at the Sir Halley Stewart, on Tuesday night (August 18) Spalding played out an entertaining 0-0 with one of the biggest and most fancied sides in the league.
Last season, The Silkmen were responsible for ending Crystal Palace’s defence of the FA Cup and this year, will have their eyes on promotion to the National League. Publicly, Spalding are looking at finishing on the right side of the line at the other end of the table but the two sides went toe-to-toe.
Macclesfield had the better of the game overall and with more of the ball came more of the efforts but the two best chances of the night fell to the hosts. Both Bart Cybulski and Jack Roberts spurned glorious chances to take all three points for their side.
Failure to find the net meant that Spalding have now taken a win, a draw and a defeat from their opening three National North games.
Spalding actually started the game better and sent an early warning with Christian Dibble had to make a double save from Roberts and then a follow-up from Ben Fowkes.
Yusifu Ceesay then tested the visiting ‘keeper before his side could settle. That was the opening for Spalding but too often then were let down by a final pass.
Efforts began to rain down on Peter Crook’s goal with Adam George hitting the side-netting, Sam Heathcote coming close with a header and George Wilson firing a free-kick just wide. Crook’s finest moment came when he showed excellent reactions to push away a deflected George shot.
The second half began in the same fashion with Jonathan Ustabasi forcing Crook into an early save and Luke Duffy shot just wide of the post.
Spalding held on and grew into the game and launched an assault in the final 20 minutes. With 70 minutes on the clock, Bart Cybulski was picked out perfectly in the box by Michael Kelly’s cross and he stooped to head just inches wide of the post. It could hardly be closer.
With ten to play, Roberts was even more guilty of not converting a wonderful cross. Cybulski was the provider this time, playing a low cross into the box, finding Roberts in space just yards out but he managed to balloon an effort well over the bar.
It just wouldn’t go in for Spalding, as evidenced by Connor Johnson’s goalbound header, from a corner, being blocked on the line in the closing moments.
Spalding: Crook, Olopade, Kelly, Moore, Johnson, Roberts, Pugh, Ceesay, Fowkes (sub Cybulski, 53 mins), Byrne, Straughan-Brown.
Attendance: 922
Tuesday results
Northern Prem Div One Midlands: Bourne Town 3-0 Corby Town
Thurlow Nunn Prem: March Town United 2-2 Wisbech Town
United Counties Prem Div South: St Neots 4-0 FC Peterborough