Spalding United draw with Harborough Town in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division
Ten-man Spalding defied a first half sending off to return with an excellent point from Saturday's trip to table-topping Harborough Town.
The Tulips had striker Tyler Winters dismissed late in the first period of the Northern Premier League Midlands Division match.
But they rallied superbly and created the better chances after their performance in a goalless draw which drew plenty of praise from manager Elliot Sandy.
Sandy - who was dismissed from the dug-out in the second half - said: "I've got no arguments about Tyler's red card and I was so proud of the lads.
"I know that we created the better chances and should have probably scored at least one against a very good side.
"We know what Harborough bring, they've got a lot of quality, and we did so well to nullify them in a way.
"A draw was probably a fair result but, with 10 men, we hung in the game, defended brilliantly to keep two clean sheets in a row and it us right up there in the mix and close enough to Harborough to have an impact."
Spalding made just one change to their starting line-up following the 5-0 home win over Sporting Khalsa the previous weekend with skipper Nathan Stainfield coming in for the injured Sam Cartwright.
The hosts went into the match looking to bounce back from a home defeat against Sutton Coldfield last Saturday and they had an early effort from Amar Sandhu blocked by the Spalding defence.
It then needed a terrific save from home goalkeeper Elliott Taylor to prevent Spalding from taking the lead as Glenn Walker shrugged off Sandhu's challenge but saw his close range effort at the back post brilliantly blocked at point blank range.
Riley O'Sullivan and Winters both sent long range shots wide of the home goal before the latter was dismissed for a reckless challenge on the stroke of half-time.
Harborough had more dominance of possession after the break and Spalding goalkeeper Tony Breeden twice thwarted efforts from Jordon Crawford.
O'Sullivan, who was a constant threat to the Bees all game, then nearly won the match for the Tulips as he rattled the home crossbar with a shot.
Kai Tonge also saw a header saved by Breeden as the honours finished even in a close contest between the top two teams in the division.
The stalemate sees Harborough maintain their one-point advantage over the second-placed Tulips and still having a game in hand which is at fourth-placed Loughborough Dynamo on Tuesday night.
Spalding next match is on Saturday when they entertain Rugby Town at the Sir Halley Stewart ground (3pm).
Tulips: Breeden, Westwood, Warburton, Walker, Stainfield, Freeman, Hilliard, Curtis (Barker), O'Sullivan (Hakeem), Winters, Draper. Subs not used: Clifton, Snedden, Graham.
Attendance: 386.
