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Spalding United beat Coleshill Town to win the Northern Premier League Midlands Division title




Spalding United were crowned Northern Premier League Midlands Division champions in style on Saturday.

The Tulips clinched promotion to step three of the non-league pyramid for the first time in the club's history with their biggest victory of the season after an 8-0 home win over Coleshill Town on Saturday.

James Clifton scored four times while Glenn Walker, Lamine Sherif, Riley O'Sullivan and Tyler Winters were also on target in a convincing win in front of more than 1,700 fans who took advantage of the offer of free entry to cheer the Tulips to glory.

Four-goal James Clifton is congratulated. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Four-goal James Clifton is congratulated. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton celebrates with Riley O'Sullivan and Glenn Walker. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton celebrates with Riley O'Sullivan and Glenn Walker. Photo: Chris Lowndes
The Spalding players celebrate with their fans after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes
The Spalding players celebrate with their fans after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes

Needing to better the result of second-placed Anstey Nomads on the final day of the season, the Tulips fielded an unchanged starting line-up from last week's emphatic victory at Sporting Khalsa.

Coleshill had taken Spalding's title rivals right to the wire in their match the previous weekend but suffered a double dismissal with goalkeeper James Behan and Ryan Snape both being red carded which saw them suspended.

Spalding ideally needed an early goal to settle any nerves while Coleshill set out with the intention of stifling their hosts' bid to gain any momentum.

The Tulips gradually started to make in-roads on the visiting goal and forced a succession of setpieces where they looked a serious threat.

Nathan Stainfield saw a back post header blocked from corner before Coleshill goalkeeper Joel Chadwick made an excellent stop from a a Lewis Hilliard drive.

Chadwick again reacted well to keep out a Tyler Winters effort from close range following a third corner in succession.

James Clifton. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Riley O'Sullivan challenges the Coleshill keeper. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Riley O'Sullivan challenges the Coleshill keeper. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton and Danny Draper head for goal. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton and Danny Draper head for goal. Photo: Chris Lowndes

A goal looked on the cards and it arrived in the 19th minute as a sustained period of pressure saw Clifton loft the ball to the back post where Walker prodded home.

The goalscorer then went close from another setpiece before Clifton's close range header was safely held by Chadwick.

Riley O'Sullivan then found himself with a good sight of goal but his effort was deflected over by an excellent block from Niall Rowe.

James Clifton celebrates with Riley O'Sullivan and Glenn Walker. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton celebrates with Riley O'Sullivan and Glenn Walker. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Lamine Sherif scores for Spalding. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Lamine Sherif scores for Spalding. Photo: Chris Lowndes

Coleshill couldn't hold out for much longer and the second goal arrived in some style just past the half-hour mark.

Winters was brought down on the edge of the area and Clifton stepped up to curl the resultant free-kick into the top corner.

A third goal followed six minutes later to give Spalding one hand on the title as Clifton glanced home a header from Hilliard's free-kick.

The Spalding players celebrate with their fans after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes
The Spalding players celebrate with their fans after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton celebrates with the fans. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton celebrates with the fans. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton. Photo: Chris Lowndes

The chances kept coming for Spalding as Winters saw a low drive deflected narrowly wide before O'Sullivan stole possession off defender Kane Auld only to see his well-struck shot blocked by Chadwick as the Tulips finished the half well on top.

It was only over confidence and complacency that was going to cost Spalding their chance of glory in the second half.

But the Tulips needed less than 60 seconds to increase their lead as O'Sullivan was again brought down by Auld and Clifton headed home for his hat-trick.

The player assistant-boss could have added another to his goal tally six minutes later when he created space in the box only to see his shot blocked by Chadwick before Sherif pounced on the rebound to make it 5-0.

Clifton was again the provider for the sixth Spalding goal after 54 minutes when his pass picked out O'Sullivan who drilled home a low finish.

The three-goal burst in just nine minutes ended the contest and it was now a matter of how many more Spalding would score.

O'Sullivan floated a shot just wide before Winters added the seventh goal after 65 minutes when he waltzed through the Coleshill defence before firing past Chadwick.

James Clifton. Photo: Chris Lowndes
James Clifton. Photo: Chris Lowndes
More than 1,700 fans turned out. Photo: Chris Lowndes
More than 1,700 fans turned out. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Sam Warburton surges forward. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Sam Warburton surges forward. Photo: Chris Lowndes

There was still no let-up in the relentless display from the home side as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

Substitute Jordan Graham saw a shot blocked while Clifton curled another effort narrowly over before he scored his fourth goal of the game to round off a memorable afternoon.

It initially came from another setpiece where Graham saw his effort blocked with Clifton scrambling home the rebound.

Fans look on as Spalding lift the league title. Photo: Chris Lowndes
Fans look on as Spalding lift the league title. Photo: Chris Lowndes
The Spalding players celebrate with their fans after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes
The Spalding players celebrate with their fans after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes
The Spalding fans celebrate after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes
The Spalding fans celebrate after the match. Photo: Chris Lowndes

Tulips: Breeden, Draper, Warburton, Walker, Stainfield, Dawes (Cartwright), Hilliard, Clifton, O'Sullivan, Winters (Graham), Sherif (Barker). Subs not used: Curtis, Bennett.

Coleshill: Chadwick, McGuiness, Higginson, Dainty, Auld(O'Hanlon), Rowe, Ball, Edwards, Letford, Cowley, Rehman. Subs not used: Reece, Spruce, Smith, Bowen.

Attendance: 1,708.



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