Battling Wisbech beaten at Spalding in league derby

Spalding United 2 Wisbech Town 0

Wisbech Town suffered their second derby defeat in the space of a few days tonight at former manager Brett Whaley's Spalding.

A Jordan Mcleod goal on the stroke of half-time and a Nathan Stainfield header in the second half settled a scrappy Northern Premier League Midlands Division affair in a night of reunions at the Sir Halley Stewart ground.

The managerless Fenmen – hit by the resignations of joint managers Arran Duke and Mark Warren last week – came into the game on a winless run of seven matches in all competitions.

But with Dick Creasey in temporary charge in the dugout, the battling Cambridgeshire outfit again showed they are a match for anyone on their day.

The game saw ex-Fenmen boss Whaley lock horns with his former club for the first time since his shock departure last December.

Both Dylan Edge and Liam Marshall also lined-up for the Tulips against their old club while Wisbech's Sam Murphy returned to his old stomping ground for the visitors.

But ex-Wisbech player Liam Adams had to be content with a place on the bench as he works his way back to full fitness.

Buoyed by their victory at second-placed Halesowen on Saturday, it was the Tulips who settled the better in the opening few minutes.

There was a half chance for the hosts as Seymour-Shove's header forced Fenmen goalkeeper Pearson into an early save down to his right.

Pearson – well outside his box – breathed a huge sigh of relief two minutes later as Seymour-Shove and Jack Keeble contested a tackle and the ball bounced just wide of the Wisbech post with the shotstopper stranded.

A brief foray into the Spalding box saw Wisbech's Finlay Armond stopped in his tracks by a crunching tackle from Nathan Stainfield while Jack Keeble was inches away from converting a Sam Murphy free-kick shortly after.

Edge, who shrugged off an ankle injury coming into the match, was shown a yellow card midway through the first half after an innocuous challenge on Keeble as the Fenmen began to frustrate their Lincolnshire hosts.

The referee then waved away home appeals for a penalty as Sam Cartwright went to ground in the box under the close attentions of a number of Wisbech defenders.

Tempers became frayed as Edge shoved Luke Wilson off the ball after the visitors were awarded a free-kick and the frontman was lucky not to be shown a second yellow card by the match official.

Cartwright was the second home player to go into the book as the first half and the defender came close to breaking the deadlock as half-time loomed when his shot was blocked by Aaron Hart.

But the home faithful didn't have to wait too much longer before taking the lead on the stroke of half-time after Jordan Mcleod bundled home at the far post with Seymour-Shove's initial shot heading wide of the target.

The Fenmen came out with renewed vigour at the start of the second half and Toby Allen saw his effort well saved by Michael Duggan between the home posts.

Armond was the first Wisbech player to be booked for a reckless lunge on Scott Floyd which had home supporters calling for a harsher punishment.

Archie Jones was wasteful of the edge of the box for the Tulips as they threatened the Wisbech goal for the first time in the second period.

Stainfield capped an impressive display for the Tulips by doubling his side's advantage in the 79th minute as he emphatically headed home a Ben Starkie corner from the right.

Spalding United: Duggan, Floyd, Bucci, Marshall, Stainfield, Cartwright, Jones, Starkie, Edge (Koroma 65), Mcleod, Seymour-Shove (Adams 85).

Wisbech Town: Pearson, Hart, McLeish, Keeble, Wilson, Murphy, Draper, Maddison, Opayinka (Concalves 70), Allen (Warren 87), Armond (Vieira 79).

Attendance: 335.