How good are Spalding?

All things unofficial about AFC Rushden & Diamonds and general football talk.
Post Reply
rushdenman
Posts: 375
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:17 pm

How good are Spalding?

Post by rushdenman »

Their record in the League this season is very impressive but out of their 15 games so far 12 of their opponents reside in the bottom half of the table and only one game has been against a top 5 side, i.e. Yaxley. They have also yet to play the mighty AFC R&D!

Their true credentials will be revealed when they play the likes of Deeping, Huntingdon and ourselves.

Maybe the title is not yet a foregone conclusion.
Turveyman
Posts: 273
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:15 am

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by Turveyman »

Nothing like adopting a "glass half full" attitude :) . They are bound to start dropping points soon - I'm not aware of any club going through a season with 100% record.
Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.
Mat.H
Posts: 1101
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:48 am

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by Mat.H »

We are16 points behind Spalding with one game ion hand and to play them twice, we could be 7 points behind. Nothing is impossible but it won't be easy.
AFC R&D Membership No 283
sussexdiamond
Posts: 3633
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 3:26 pm
Has Liked: 1 time
Been Liked: 70 times

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by sussexdiamond »

This Saturday they play Yaxley and next week Wellingborough. Those games may give us a better indication.

Welly also play Deeping this weekend.
corby diamond
Posts: 870
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:17 pm
Location: Corby
Has Liked: 5 times
Been Liked: 5 times

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by corby diamond »

They won't go the whole season with 100%, they surely can't. But then again they are a very good team, and even so I think they are odds on favourites.

I don't want to be a party pooper, but you have also got to think of if Spalding do drop points, are we capable of capitalising on their mistakes. To be in with a chance of pipping the title, we as a squad must take the chances when they come and turn the draws into wins. Because the more weekends that pass by and Spalding get 3 points the more the mindset is 3 points is vital.

Let's see what happens on 14th December eh? Hope it's not an oadby away :(
AFC Rushden and Diamonds Membership Number - 60
STAGMAN
Posts: 2001
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:14 pm
Been Liked: 17 times

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by STAGMAN »

Hi Martyn , you say that we must turn draws into wins , i think that is what we did the other night at Yaxley. A lot of sides after getting the equalizer would have sat back and taken the draw, but no we carried on and got a hard fought win even if we were a shade lucky
corby diamond
Posts: 870
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:17 pm
Location: Corby
Has Liked: 5 times
Been Liked: 5 times

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by corby diamond »

STAGMAN wrote:Hi Martyn , you say that we must turn draws into wins , i think that is what we did the other night at Yaxley. A lot of sides after getting the equalizer would have sat back and taken the draw, but no we carried on and got a hard fought win even if we were a shade lucky
Certainly did, and full credit to the lads for doing it. Was the same at wolfies sat but thats a different chapter. I think it's a slightly too bigger ask imo. If people are talking about the title then it means going on such an unbeaten run. Last season I as a supporter wasn't really fazed by any team lower than 5th, sorry to be ignorant in saying that, but this season it's a different kettle of fish. We seemed to have dropped unnecessary points and the games in hand have not been taken advantage of. To win from now surely means winning every game from now on as I'm sure Spalding won't drop many.

I just think it will be miraculous, but then again miracles happen ;)
AFC Rushden and Diamonds Membership Number - 60
Brownie
Posts: 2025
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:03 am
Been Liked: 34 times

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by Brownie »

corby diamond wrote: I just think it will be miraculous, but then again miracles happen ;)
Indeed they do, after all Oadby won the league on Jan 5th last season but never got promoted. Must have been Bob & his ground grading crew.
To get near Spalding would be an amazing achievement, but as has been noted Yaxley is about the only side they have played won 2-1 didn't they? If they are still 100% at end of year then all over, but while the maths say it's still possible. Beat them twice & drop a max of 4 more points.
User avatar
Pigman
Posts: 4346
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2009 4:14 pm
Location: Bedford
Has Liked: 14 times
Been Liked: 56 times

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by Pigman »

I've said that all along, I remember people saying we'll never catch Yeovil, we'll never catch Hartlepool ............... football is a funny old game and a lot of the time its confidence. Spalding squeaked a win against Sleaford with the last kick of the game after trailing for a very long period, there may be signs of them feeling the strain. How will they react if they lose one?

The important thing for us to do is not look up, focus on our own games and keep winning - in my mind Tuesday was a game that we could easily have dropped 2 points in - but we kept plugging away and showed the kind of strength of character that can see us win more than we lose.

I won't give in until its mathematically impossible - drop any points against Spalding and it'll be mega tough - but they will drop points eventually.

Of course, Spalding do have the backing to be able to go out and get players in if things go awry for them, so no-one says it'll be easy. But I was greatly encouraged by how we reacted to everything that was thrown at us on Saturday and how, after 90 minutes on a bog of a pitch at Long Bucky and 120 minutes on Saturday, we dealt with going a goal behind on Tuesday.

2nd in the League and a visit to Wembley will do for this year anyway - don't want to be greedy do we ;)
Raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease
RIP Dale Roberts - gone, but never forgotten!!
Olly
Posts: 2924
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:08 pm
Has Liked: 12 times
Been Liked: 124 times

Re: How good are Spalding?

Post by Olly »

We had the same debate this time last year with Sileby and I admit I thought they were uncatchable and was almost proved wrong at the end of the season, but I'm wondering (for someone who didn't support the club at the time) how unlikely it was that we'd catch Hartlepool and Yeovil, were we really as many as 13 points behind them? And while of course I want to believe we can at least challenge for the title, I just fear this time it really will be too much, we were at points last season 10 points behind Sileby, but I feel Spalding are just that bit stronger than Sileby were, their winning run won't last forever sure, but very few teams in this league will get anything off them, especially with their defensive record.

And if we were to make Wembley, quite frankly I wouldn't care where we finish up in the league :D
R.I.P. Dale Roberts

AFC Rushden & Diamonds - Member No. 308
Post Reply