Match Preview | Spalding United (A)

16 hours ago5 min read

Halesowen look to turn around their recent away record as they face an in-form Spalding United

Written by Ben Ditchfield

The Yeltz travel to Lincolnshire as they attempt to put an end to their four game winless run on the road against a Spalding side who are seven without defeat at the Sir Halley Stewart Field ground.

Their have been 11 meetings between the two sides since the end of the 1980's. Halesowen have remarkably won eight of the 11 contests, and have four wins in the five matches at the Sir Halley Stewart Field ground. The fixture is fondly remembered for the play-off final between the two sides in April 2023, where Kieren Donnelly and Jamie Insall helped the Yeltz claim a 2-1 victory. The most recent meeting in Lincolnshire, saw the Yeltz fall to a 3-0 thrashing, with goals from Bradley Rolt, Archie Jones and current Tulips forward James Clifton.

The two sides most recently met last November at The Grove, which saw Penn's side score a last minute winner to take all three points. 10 minutes into the match, Jordan Ponticelli missed a penalty, before two minutes later, Spalding opened the scoring. A Khanya Leshabela free kick was delivered to the back post, where Connor Tomlinson's side footed finish found the back of the net. 15 minutes before the 90th, Ponticelli managed to find the equaliser, as his shot from the centre of the box found the left corner. Kieren Donnelly sparked memorable celebrations as his half volley found the same corner, in the fourth minute of second half stoppage time.

The Yeltz come into the game with just one win in their last seven games on the road. The side have scored just one goal in the four away matches since Christmas and could go five without a win on the road in the same season for the first time since April 2019. Russ Penn's side do come into the game after a victory though, a 4-0 home win against Bishop's Stortford, thanks to goals from Kieren Donnelly, Ryan Wollacott and McKauley Manning.

Our opponents Spalding, arrive into this weekends match following their first defeat since mid November. The Tulips fell victim to Banbury United's current seven game unbeaten run, and the side went a goal behind inside just 10 minutes from Jaanai Gordon's strike. Joe Nyahwema got the equaliser for Spalding in first half stoppage time, before Alex Prosser scored one of the goals of the season to re-take the lead for Banbury, before the latter saw the final 15 minutes out to claim victory.

Spalding boss Jimmy Dean has been in charge since late August, after he took over from last season's promotion winning boss Elliot Sandy, who was sacked three games into this campaign. Dean has been in the managerial business since 2015, where he took over at Peterborough Sports, and won four promotions and 11 trophies in a seven year spell. He left The Turbines at the start of 2023 and took over at the then National League side Scunthorpe United. He was only able to win three of the 17 league games he was in charge of the Lincolnshire side, who were relegated to the National League North, the lowest tier the club had been at for 75 years.

The 42 year old was tasked with taking Scunthorpe to their first promotion for a decade, and despite being top for 57 days last season, the club ended the season second, eight points behind league winners Tamworth. He left Scunthorpe at the end of the season, following their disappointing play-off semi-final defeat to eventual play-off champions Boston United. Since Dean's arrival at Spalding, he has been in charge of 28 matches, which has seen his side lose just nine times, conceding just over a goal a game on average, in the process.

Spalding have been in remarkable form since their defeat to the Yeltz, which has seen them lose just twice in 14 league matches. The run included an 11 game unbeaten run, the longest run without defeat in the league this season. The club rotate their squad fairly frequently, 36 players have featured for them in their 33 games this campaign in all competitions, only seven of which have played more than 20 matches.

Bartosz Cybulski is the clubs top scorer this season, but he has found the net just once in his last seven matches. He has scored 11 times and has an 1.81 games per goal ratio in the league, the fifth highest in the league based around the 54 players who have scored 5+ goals. Joe Nyahwema has scored eight times, five of which have come since the turn of the year. Abduramane Sano Sani is also a huge threat, the 25 year old who played under Dean at Peterborough Sports, has scored five times in 11 matches for The Tulips this campaign.

Despite their 11 game unbeaten run and their current league position of 11th, Spalding have scored first in just 35% (10/28) of their league matches this season, only Hitchin with 31% (9/29) have a lower percentage. The main reason for that poor record, is due to their slow start in matches, only Biggleswade Town and Leiston (3), and Banbury United (2), have scored fewer goals in the first 15 minutes of matches this season than Spalding, who have scored four goals.

On the flip side, they are a huge threat in the 15 minute period before half-time, no other team in the division have scored more goals in that time period than Spalding, who have managed 12 goals. Jimmy Dean's side have picked up most of their points in the league when falling behind, only Telford United (20), have won more points from losing positions this season than Spalding's 17. In contrast, falling behind at half-time almost guarantees a defeat against The Tulips, as the side have lost just once since March 2019, in 90 minute matches, when ahead at the break, the only defeat subsequently came against the Yeltz last November.

Key Seasonal Stats

Spalding

League Position - 11th

Season Record - PL33 13W 7D 13L 42GS 43GC

Form (Last 5 Games) - WWWDL

Top Scorer - Bartosz Cybulski (11 Goals)

Most Appearances - Glenn Walker (30)

Most Starts - Glenn Walker (27)

Biggest League Win - 5-1 vs Bedford Town (Away - 4th January)

Biggest League Defeat - 4-0 vs Kettering Town & 5-1 vs St Ives Town (Away - 13th & 26th August)

Longest Unbeaten Run - 11 Games (16th November - 1st February)

Longest Winless Run - 5 Games (13th August - 3rd September)