The big news of the day was the return of top scorer Nabil Shariff to the Town starting line-up following his brief stay at Stamford AFC. Another recent signing, Mitch Piggon, would also make his first start up front.
Town would be keen to avenge the defeat inflicted at Elderstubbs only last month. Spalding had lost their last two matches.
Town almost went behind in the first minute. A shot from Jamie Graham crashed off the Town bar and fell kindly to a Nathan Stainfield whose effort was somehow blocked by Ben Heath just under the bar before the referee stopped the match for an infringement.
At the other end Kennedy and Shariff combined down the right flank but the cross was gathered by the keeper.
Both Jason Lee and Ricky Hill made excellent goal saving tackles at the back for Town.
Town’s sorties on the Spalding goal were rare. Bukasa making a good run down the right side but his cross just failed to reach the head of Nabil Sheriff.
It was 35 minutes before Town got their first corner, Joe Curtis having a shot just deflected wide of the goal. The keeper elected to punch Curtis’s corner away to safety.
Spalding certainly had the better of the half and just as it looked as if Town were to get the halftime unscathed, the Tulips went in front. Jamie Graham’s shot from the left side of the box found the right corner of the net and the home team were justifiably in front.
HT: Spalding United 1 Daventry Town 0
The second half started pretty much the same. Ben Heath had to go full length to his left to tip a close range header around the post on 53 minutes
Nathan Stainfield’s looping header came off the bar on the hour and it only seemed a matter of time before the Town goal was breached again.
Darran Foster made a double change in the 64 minute when Barry Deacon and James Tricks replaced Elliott Bentley and Curtis Hartley. 5 minutes later and he made his final throw it of the dice by bringing on Kieran Fitzgerald for Mitch Piggon.
It was at this stage, the game turned dramatically in Town’s favour.
Nabil Shariff found space in the box after a pass from Joe Curtis but his effort was blocked for a corner. Curtis himself took that corner and his pacey in-swinging cross was met by a glancing header by KIERAN FITZGERALD and the ball went into the net just under the bar. The South African born substitute had only been only the pitch 3 minutes.
Spalding seemed to implode at this point and their players turned on one another.
Town now has the momentum and saw far more of the ball than at any other stage of the match.
Town took the lead in the 87th minute. Again it was a Joe Curtis shot which forced a corner on the left this time. The Spalding keeper elected again to punch the cross but didn’t make full contact. Rob Prinzel’s header found Ricky Hill on the right side of the 6 yard box who in turn played the ball back in to NABIL SHARIFF who controlled the ball before twisting and turning to smash the ball into the net.
The drama wasn’t over yet as Spalding substitute Jonny Lockie appeared to be through on goal only for the Jon Bukasa to make a great goal saving tackle. The home team and their supporters wanted a penalty, the ref correctly pointed at the ball to show he had won the ball cleanly.
With neither of the physios called in to action all afternoon, somehow the official found 6 minutes’ of additional time, during which James Tricks was cautioned for deflecting a ball back to where he felt it should have been taken.
Then the final piece of drama. As Town prepared to take the throw in by the tunnel, the referee indicated he would blow for full time after the ball came into play. As the ball was thrown in, Adam Jackson went through the back of James Tricks legs as the referee blew for full time. Understandably the Town striker was aggrieved and confronted the full back. Josh Moreman also got involved and this resulted in all the outfield players joining the fracas, the majority trying to quell the situation.
Josh Moreman was cautioned for his part as was James Tricks and this resulted in a red card for his second yellow. Adam Jackson escaped without punishment as the referee has somehow missed the initial incident.
So good and bad news for Town at the end of the day, bad news in that Tricks will miss a single match for his involvement in the above incident whilst on the good front, another 3 points for Town moved them up to 7th in the table and Jason Lee escaped from the fracas without a single hair being disturbed.
HT: Spalding United 1 Daventry Town 2
Ben Heath
Connor Kennedy
Elliott Bentley Sub off 64
Ricky Hill
Jason Lee (Captain)
Curtis Hartley Sub off 64
Joe Curtis
Rob Pinzel
Mitch Piggon Sub off 69
Nabil Sheriff Goal 87 minutes
Jon Bukasa
Subs
James Tricks Sub on 64 - Booked 90+4 90+7
Adam Creaney
Barry Deacon Sub on 64
Kieran Fitzgerald - Sub on 69 -Goal 72 minutes
Karabo Motshweni
Attendance 119
Next home match v Tividale - November 3rd - Tuesday 7.45
Next away game v Gresley - November 7th - Saturday 3.00
Guest Sports Writer - Brian Porter
Follow us in twitter @DaventryTownFC