Scoreless

Spalding United 0-0 Macclesfield (National League North)

I’m back in the South Lincolnshire town of Spalding, after watching the Tulips in a promotion chasing playoff match here in May, I return to the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field for a National League North game. It’s my first watch of sixth tier competitive football this season.

Two games into the new campaign and Spalding have won one and lost one so far, they started their step two era by beating Radcliffe 2-0 but lost on Saturday against Oxford City 1-0 in their first home match ‘ever’ at this level.

Tonight’s opponents Macclesfield are one of the favourites to go up. John Rooney’s side are two from two so far after opening their campaign with a 1-0 win at Marine before also beating Radcliffe, on Saturday they won 2-1 thanks to a couple of late Luke Duffy goals.

Jimmy Dean’s side will be looking to cause an early upset against the inform Silkmen, Spalding have bolstered their squad in the summer with some savvy acquisitions who know the level, in come Peterborough Sports goalkeeper Peter Crook as well as Ashton Fox and Dan Jarvis, whilst Michael Kelly has joined from Boston and Shane Byrne heads in from Brackley, Sam Straughan-Brown who also played at Peterborough Sports previously is on loan from Doncaster, whilst Tom Pugh joining from Halifax will add some quality in midfield.

Unforgettable (especially for Crystal Palace fans), Macclesfield had that epic cup run last year which in some cases hindered league progress, they have made a few additions themselves with Christian Dibble their designated goalkeeper signed from Kidderminster. Three players join from AFC Fylde, left back Lincoln McFayden, midfielder George Wilson and forward Jon Ustabasi, whilst Adan George and Ammar Dyer are two exciting prospects from Telford. Also, midfielder Finley Shrimpton joins from Chester, he scored the winner in the clubs opening day victory at Marine.

Only a ninety-minute drive from my home in Nottingham (which is a short ride for me), I can leave late, around 5pm, so grab my things and head East towards Lincolnshire across the A52 and down the A1 coming off at Colsterworth services signposted towards the market town of Bourne.

It’s a bumpy drive on the A151 through the lovely village of Corby Glen and past Grimsthorpe Castle, into and out of the sleepy centre of Bourne and past the Pinchbeck Slipe, the flat fields of tulip growing towards the quiet town of Spalding, where I arrive pulled up in the Winfrey Avenue car park (which is free after 6pm) opposite the ground with more than an hour to spare.

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The Venue

I’m sat outside in the car as the Macclesfield bus pulls up, players getting off in tracksuits as Cameron Borthwick-Jackson helps the kitman by pushing the luggage boxes in through the gates.

I have a good ten or fifteen-minutes listening to the radio before making my own entrance, it’s nearly 7pm and there’s quite a crowd inside already, as I scan my pass on the door I’m into the complex, wooden benches are sat on by folk having food and beer, it’s a good atmosphere inside with more than 45 minutes to go until kick off.

Just my second visit here in over ten years (my second since late April) but it’s a ground that I can see myself coming to quite a bit from now on (especially as Spalding are now in the National League North), one with real character and charm which I like, a town centre venue that people can walk to from the pubs, the train station isn’t far, the bus station opposite, B&Q and Sainsbury’s are walkable.

Inside the place it’s leafy lined with trees and houses tucked behind, two low tin roof stands either end, far side a small seated section under cover, modern looking, whilst near side has the old classic grandstand, changing facilities at floor level are underneath, upstairs for seating, offering a brilliant view sat on long wooden benches slightly restricted by pillars.

I’ve sat myself down in the media area where the Radio Macclesfield team are in, so to is a stats lad from Opta who I have a good chat with, a pleasant view high up and close to the action, central, although you can’t see the near touchline, you get a real sense of being on top of the pitch which is great considering I’ve been sat on row Z and up in the gods for most of the friendlies I’ve watched this summer.

The Game

Tonight’s match is sponsored by the local fire service which is perhaps why the water sprinklers are so powerful, I’ve never seen jets like the ones they have here, considering the pitch isn’t even grass, I wonder are we wasting some serious water during the recent drought we are in, but that extra zest sprayed onto the 4g surface will hopefully make for a good game?

And it is a good game, despite a lack of goalmouth action these are two solid sides for the level, Macclesfield you feel have a bit more about them, but Spalding are dangerous on the break with speed and skill out wide, you feel the away side control proceedings, they set the slow the tempo, but as soon as the Silkmen dare go for the jugular, and open themselves up, Spalding look to pick them off.

It’s like a chess match; Mac have made one change from the weekend bringing in a winger Lacey for Osborne to go for width with 442 rather than 433 but an early injury to Lacey has him replaced by Osborne and it’s back to basics from the previous game they go. That change makes them more solid, more structured, but more predictable, Spalding are also 433 and there midfield trio of Byrne, Pugh and Straughan-Brown cancels out that of Osborne, Wilson and Shrimpton, the two sides are having to find another way.

The Score

The danger is certainly out wide as the impressive Jack Roberts looks to cause mayhem on the counter for Spalding, he’s a winger who scored a lot of goals last season and is one that I think the Tulips will pin their hopes on this, cutting in and looking to create with a good right foot, he’s quick and direct, technically neat, a player who Macclesfield are most wary of.

Another player they are concerned about is Yusifu Ceesay on the right wing, he’s leggy and direct but clumsy in his play, and well contained by left back McFayden who has his work cut out.

As for the Silkmen’s stylish own players going forward, Ustabasi is cutting in with guile on their left, Duffy a threat with shooting ability from around the box, whilst right back Ammar Dyer looks to bomb on at every opportunity, a lot of their best play is through him.

Chances are limited in a first half which has defences on top, but the second half opens up as players tire, the game gets stretched, and chances at either end go begging.

The best of them, substitute Bart Cybulski heading inches wide from a brilliant cross by Kelly down the left, before a goal mouth scramble is eventually cleared inside the Macclesfield box, panic over, Roberts fires wide when racing through then fizzes a ball across the goal, it just won’t go in during a lively late spell.

Even later on, Macclesfield have their chances with some pressure into added time, sub striker Danny Elliott snatches at a couple, one almost hits my car in the car park across the road, the best move is then over played inside the box, in the end a point a piece is deserved, and in truth from about three minutes in, it always looked like it was going to be nil nil.

The Stars

Despite the score line there is so much to admire after a tough night’s work where both teams played their part, defensively both superb, in midfield they all worked their socks off, whilst in attack, perhaps the strikers on the night, didn’t get the rub of the green their persistence craved?

The best of Spalding, enter Liam Moore, captain, centre half, former Premier League and Championship footballer with notable experience having played for the likes of Leicester City and Reading, heading everything away, clearing his lines, nothing pretty, just leading by example.

Moore looked very solid alongside Connor Johnson but a Tulips defender I really like the look of is their right back Tosin Olopade who is leggy and quick and very tough to get the better of. A signing from Salford City in January, still only 21, I think he’s one that can get back up the divisions very soon.

In front of Olopade, Yusifu Ceesay is a real handful, which makes their right wing a proper pacey and powerful place, but on the left side Jack Roberts is the best attacking player they have, he has a bit about him, confidence in his own ability, the pace he has and the quality on the ball he possesses equating to the end product he more often than not provides, means Spalding will do very well to keep the hawks at bay.

Bart Cybulski is their forward talisman and he looked to be rested for tactical reasons tonight, when he came on he gave Spalding a real focal point, willing to work hard and work back, at apparently 6ft6in he’s tall and lean with some seriously good link up work, he should have scored the winner after his header headed agonisingly wide of the posts.

Players of note, Tom Pugh in midfield, lovely, Shane Byrne next to him, what a brilliant signing offering experience and graft, he's going to be great, even Sam Straughan-Brown has came on, physically for the level, I’ve been less impressed by him in the past, whilst at Peterborough Sports he shown glimpses, at 19 he looks now to be coming of age, on loan from Doncaster Rovers, a good year from him and his future may look very positive.

Finally, Peter Crook in goal was superb, he is another brilliant signing for the level, he knows his box, holds everything, is tall and commanding, a bit crazy, the whole bloody lot to be honest, were all great.

Which leads me to Macclesfield, equally as good in all departments, their goalkeeper Christian Dibble did everything which was asked of him, full backs Dyer and McFayden were solid, Dyer pushing forward and joining attacks reminding me of a young Danny Rose, he played on the right but can also do the same out left as he often did whilst playing for Telford at his previous club, similar in size but perhaps less dynamic than Dyer, McFayden stuck to his task well of keeping the awkward Yusifu Ceesay quiet. Defensively McFayden operates well, Dyer on the front foot excites.

Special mention at centre half to Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, a hugely talented footballer who started his career of course with Manchester United. I watched him last season and he looked to be going through the motions, but I think he’s just a laid-back lad who likes the game, and wants to do the bare minimums with Macclesfield. He’s brilliant on the ball from the back, he hardly moved all night, just caressed the sphere around like it was a training match. He makes everything look easy, but put pressure on him, he perhaps doesn’t like it so much when ruffled, I think he can be got at, but give him time and space, he’ll control proceedings like an NFL quarter back.

Some good performances in midfield, Finley Shrimpton has a decent bit of quality for the level, George Wilson had some lovely moments driving forward, whilst Ustabasi in attack I think will become a crowd favourite in time, a smart footballer who has a bit about him, intelligent, not yet have Macclesfield seen the best of the former Fylde winger, but I think that is certainly still to come.

The Verdict

National League North football is back and is brilliant. I parked outside the gate, walked into the ground, sat in a super spot and watched two teams go at each other, giving a real good account of themselves, just under a thousand fans in house with no segregation, no trouble, all appreciating the players efforts on show.

I have heard many (who don’t know anything about Spalding) predict the Tulips will struggle, but having watched them last season, and having seen who they have added this, along with now watching them against a really good Macclesfield side tipped for promotion, I have no doubt that they will do ok.

As for the Silkmen? Well, they certainly have a fair chance of going up. Perhaps they need their star striker Danny Elliott on fire having missed a proportion of last season with injury? Maybe they need another cheeky addition or two? But they have plenty of other ingredients already in place, to make them tough to beat, organised, solid, just needing some goals to lift them up a gear.

The Teams

Spalding United: Peter Crook, Tosin Olopade, Michael Kelly, Liam Moore, Connor Johnson, Jack Roberts, Tom Pugh, Yusifu Ceesay, Ben Fowkes (Bartosz Cybulski 54), Shane Byrne, Sam Straughan-Brown.

Macclesfield: Christian Dibble, Lincoln McFayden, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, George Wilson, Adan George (Danny Elliott 68), Luke Duffy, Sam Heathcote, Finley Shrimpton, Luis Lacey (Elliott Osborne 26), Jon Ustabasi (Veron Parney 79), Ammar Dyer.

7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 18th August 2026, Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, Spalding (att 922).