Spalding United face Rotherham United in a pre-season friendly

A second successive test against Football League opposition awaits Spalding United on Saturday.

The Tulips host League One side Rotherham United in their third friendly of pre-season at the Sir Halley Stewart ground (3pm).

Elliot Sandy's side go into the match against the Millers on the back of a 2-1 win over Boston United and a 7-0 defeat to a strong Peterborough United side on Tuesday night.

Rotherham are managed by ex-Boston and Peterborough boss Steve Evans and are likely to pose another stern challenge in Spalding's pre-season schedule.

Sandy said: "It's obviously going to be another really difficult game but I'm happy we've got these tests early on in pre-season.

"It allows us to work on our shape a lot and our sharpness. We have to be quick to the ball.

"The other games in pre-season will be different matches against non-league sides who stick it on you more and don't zip it around as much.

"They will be completely different tests. We will have more of the ball in those games than against Peterborough and Rotherham and it will allow us to work on what we can do with it to try and hurt the opposition.

"There is a plan in place of how the games have worked out and we'll obviously be building up to be ready and raring to go come August 10."

Spalding have further strengthened their squad ahead of the new Southern League Premier Division Central campaign after recruiting striker Lewis Darlington.

Darlington played as a trialist in the victory over Boston at the weekend and netted the opening goal in the 2-1 win.

He was released by Peterborough United at the end of last season and spent time on loan at National League North side Banbury United during that campaign.

The former Nottingham Forest youngster is the eighth signing of the summer for the Tulips who have also retained the majority of last season's title-winning squad.

Sandy commented: "Lewis looks really sharp and quick and I'm really happy to have him with us.

"We're in a nice position in terms of having so much quality in the squad but it's also a horrible one when you have to reduce it because, as a manager, you've got to make some really tough decisions on people who you have worked with and like."

Rotherham have also been very active in the transfer market during the close season with ex-Peterborough forward Jonson Clarke-Harris among their new captures.

The Millers are due to play Spalding's league rivals Stamford tomorrow night (Friday) before visiting the Sir Halley Stewart 24 hours later with boss Evans set to split his squad across the two games.