Derby Day Doesn't Bloom For Tulips - Spalding United vs. Wisbech Town

Main stand at The Sir Halley Stewart Fields

 As has been noted elsewhere, the choice of games on New Years Day gets smaller every year and for a long time I was thinking of Gloucester against Weston Super Mare but then by chance I saw Spalding United were at home. I'd always been put off by the irregular train service to Spalding but the New Years Day trains looked OK and I was all set. There opponents in this Northern Premier League Division One East match were Wisbech Town. Last season I saw the reverse of this fixture over in Cambridgeshire in the FA Cup last season, with then lower league Wisbech winning after a replay. I remembered the first game being a good derby game with a healthy crowd. In their first season back at this level, Wisbech were second from bottom but within touching distance and with games in hand on the teams above them.

Kick off at The Sir Halley Stewart

Wisbech take the lead when a corner isn't fully cleared and the forward is allowed to turn and angle a shot past the Spalding keeper. Spalding come close to equalising as the forward just beats the keeper to a long ball but he sees his shot come off the post before the ball is hacked away to safety. They come close again when the forward is again first to ball, this time his effort goes wide of the target. Spalding get the equaliser they deserve from the penalty spot as the forward gets in between the Wisbech defender and the ball and although it looked generous, Spalding didn't care as they went in level.

Wisbech attacking the clubhouse end

The second half has a scrappy start with a Spalding free kick going just wide being the highlight. Wisbech retake the lead as following a ball in, it gets stuck under the defender's feet who ends up scoring an own goal. The visitors now go for the kill as the Spalding keeper is forced into a save after the Wisbech forward powers through before a cross shortly afterwards is well blocked by the Spalding defence. The visitors see out the rest of the game to claim a big three points.

Wisbech coming close in the second half

To get to deepest South Lincolnshire, you first need to take a train to Peterborough from Kings Cross with the quick ones taking forty five minutes. Then you can take the train for one stop on to Spalding. The changes don't work out too great on the way out and you could end up waiting nearly forty minutes. I was pretty annoyed that my first choice pub, The Priors Oven was shut but it just meant I went on to the previously unconsidered The White Horse. Which turned out to be a very good thing, this is an excellent Sam Smith's pub in a cracking old building. If that's not your thing then The Pied Calf has the early kick off along with a decent choice of beers. The ground really makes the trip worthwhile. A short walk from the town centre with it's great stand in the shadow of The Chatterton Water Tower it really is a cracker. The clubhouse had a wider selection than usual of drinks as well as the sports channels. The programme was also excellent with a lot of reading. A great way to start the year!

One final shot of the stand and the tower