Spalding triumph in Northern Premier League Midlands Division derby against Wisbech
Spalding United 2 Wisbech Town 0
A night of reunions saw Brett Whaley come out on top against his former club as Spalding extended their winning sequence to three matches at the expense of near-neighbours Wisbech.
A Jordan Macleod 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 at the Sir Halley Stewart ground.
The Tulips just about deserved the three points but were made to work very hard throughout the 90 minutes by their struggling visitors.
Both Dylan Edge and Liam Marshall lined-up for the Tulips against their former 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 Lincolnshire side 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 Macleod 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.
The returning Adams came on for the final few minutes as Spalding saw out the remainder of the game without too many alarms.
Spalding United: Duggan, Floyd, Bucci, Marshall, Stainfield, Cartwright, Jones, Starkie, Edge (Koroma 65), Macleod, Seymour-Shove (Adams 85).
Wisbech Town: Pearson, Hart, McLeish, Keeble, Wilson, Murphy, Draper, Maddison, Opayinka (Goncalves 70), Allen (Warren 87), Armond (Vieira 79).
Attendance: 335.
