Tuesday 8th September 2020
Pre-Season Friendly
at the Meres/South Kesteven Sports Stadium
Grantham Town (1) 1
Liam Hardy 20
Spalding United (0) 0
Point & hope picture gallery: Click HERE
As a stark reminder of the uncertain times that we're living in, Grantham Town's previous scheduled home game at the Meres against Alfreton Town was postponed at short notice as a precautionary measure, after a relation of one of the home sides players had tested positive for COVID-19.
Thankfully subsequent testing ascertained that the said squad member is all-clear, meaning that tonight's visit of Spalding United could go ahead as planned, giving the Gingerbreads faithful their first game on home-turf since the pandemic lock-down measures have started to be relaxed, allowing limited numbers of supporters to visit some (but not all) non-league grounds, on the proviso that strict criteria is being met by the clubs.
To that end, Grantham Town have certainly covered all of the bases and their attention to detail was very impressive as regards the welfare and safety of players, staff and spectators alike.
If you're one of those people who is still apprehensive about attending any kind of public gathering to watch a game of football, a visit to the Meres would put your mind at rest. The stadium's open-plan and acres of space layout always did lend itself to roominess and social-distancing, even before such things became mandatory and fashionable. Ever the trendsetters, eh!?
Apologies in advance if I've just put the mockers on that impressive record by posting the details of a quietly going about your own business achievement on publicly viewable website.
A further outing for Grantham at local rivals Stamford was abandoned shortly before half-time under circumstances that I couldn't possibly comment on, because I was elsewhere that night, but there are two or probably even more sides to every story... and I'm quite sure that there are all manner of places on t'internet where you'll find more information about the events at the Zeeco Stadium if you should desire to do so and that kind of gossipy tittle-tattle floats your boat.
Despite having been at the club for in excess of five months, this was Martin McIntosh's first opportunity to see his side in action on home-soil and he will no doubt have been happy with just how well the playing surface at the Meres is looking these days. I guess it must work wonders for letting a maximum amount of natural sunlight by having the stands so far away from the pitch.
I was half expecting to see club crest branded binoculars on sale at the club shop counter, for those of us who'd opted to nip upstairs to view the game.
As the game got underway, the Gingerbreads had to make a substitution inside the opening five minutes, as James Berrett limped out of the game.
But his replacement Manasse Kianga (as he was listed on the team sheet) AKA Trialist A (as he was called on Twitter) was obviously looking to impress and striving to get forward regularly, showing no small amount of ability as he got himself into good positions to provide crosses for Alistair Taylor and Ash Worsfold, who were battering away relentlessly against a Spalding side that was very well organised defensively and adept at putting their bodies on the line for a series of blocks, as they charged down a hat full of scoring opportunities from the hosts.
I did ponder over whether to name Kianga or not, given his trialist status, but Mr McIntosh name-checked the player in his post-match summary for the GTFC website, so I reckoned that it must be alright to reveal his identity.
Nathan Dyer was making a nuisance of himself too, charging around like a man possessed, with all of the energy of a spritely Duracell bunny, while teeing up several chances for Grantham's strike-force while not being afraid to have a go from any kind of range himself, if and when the opportunity arose.
It was Dyer who created what proved to be the only goal of the game, when he jinked through the right hand side of the area past a couple of challenges, before squaring the ball across the face of the Tulips goal for Liam Hardy to roll into the back of the net from close range.
Spencer Weir-Daley had Spalding's best chance to score, as the visitors countered after a Grantham player had crashed the ball against the bar, but Jan Budtz saved well, despite not having had much to do for most of the game.
Although Budtz was actually called on again halfway through the second half, when Scott Floyd tested him, but on the whole most of the game unfolded and ran it's course like an attack (Grantham) v defence (Spalding) training exercise, during which you couldn't fault the effort and application of either side as they worked gamely to build up their stamina and sharpness levels in readiness for the new league season, which is now ten days away... although saying that the Tulips have already had one competitive game already this season, when they were defeated 1-3 at home in the FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round, by Barton Town of the NCEL Premier Division, who now face a trip to Quorn on Saturday.
FT: Grantham Town 1 v Spalding United 0
