Reaction from Spalding United manager Jimmy Dean after their victory over Halesowen Town

Manager Jimmy Dean felt his Spalding United side were 'great value' for their vital victory over promotion rivals Halesowen Town on Saturday.

First half goals from Bart Cybulski and Mani Sani secured the win for the Tulips in their Southern League Premier Division Central clash.

It moved Spalding to within five points of their defeated visitors who occupy the final play-off spot in the league standings.

Dean said: "It was a really important game for us.

"It was an opportunity for us to get back to winning ways against a side above us.

"We are trying to sneak into those play-offs and, if we had lost on Saturday, it would have been a lot more difficult to do that.

"Winning has given us a steady opportunity to do that.

"We were great value for the win in what was a bigger game for us than them and I think that showed in the personality which the boys put out on the pitch."

Spalding turned their first half dominance into goals before holding off any attempts of a Halesowen fightback after the break.

Dean added: "Our first half was so much more dominant than the moments they had in the second half.

"We didn't do the ugly side of the game in the second half and didn't pick up the second balls.

"We put the back five under far more pressure than they needed to be under.

"No disrespect to Halesowen because, of all the sides that I've seen this season, they're the best but I don't think personally that they deserved anything from the game.

"I thought we were much better and, although they had to chase a goal in the second half, our first half was a lot more dominant."

The victory keeps Spalding among the top sides in the division in the form table after overcoming a poor start to the season.

Dean commented: "We've obviously got a lot more work to do because we lost six of our first seven games but we've been one of the best sides in the form table over the last 20 games or so.

"We know that we're not miles away but we needed to get ourselves a chance and a win on Saturday has done that.

"We're in a good moment but, if we had lost on Saturday, it wouldn't have felt like it.

"It was a massive game for us. It was huge and I honestly felt that the players treated it like that.

"They are all big games now because we haven't got much room to manoeuvre.

"It has been a lot to catch up but we showed on Saturday that, when we're right, we take some beating and I've said that for a while now."

Spalding now face back-to-back away games as they travel to Leiston on Saturday before a midweek match at Bishop's Stortford on Tuesday, February 18.