Marine 1-0 Spalding United; Enterprise NLN; Saturday 10th October 2026
Adam Yates reports from the MTA…
Marine continued their impressive run of form besting a lacklustre Spalding United 1-0 as they traverse steadily up the National League North table.
The travelling Tulips, perhaps with one eye on next week’s FA Cup matchup against Avlechurch, decided against risking the League’s top goalscorer, Bart Cybulski, who had ten goals to his name prior to the game.
Daniel Jarvis for Spalding was kicking himself as he found himself one on one after a Declan Drysdale mistake in midfield. Jarvis opted against attempting a lob on Marine’s Jack McIntyre and eventually the hosts closed ranks and cleared the danger. That was to be United’s only real chance at goal as the on target statistic remained low for Spalding.
New Marine loanee Arjan Raikhy had an impressive debut and had a shot saved by Peter Crook as did winger Charlie Jolley as the game ended level at half time with the hosts frustrated but confident.
Raikhy had another chance shortly after the start of the second half as his long range curling effort went wide. Spalding made a triple substitution after intense Marine pressure but that failed to quell the onslaught of home possession and the hosts found what turned out to be the sole goal of the afternoon in the 66th minute, Ben Darby latching onto a loose ball outside the six yard box and driving it home past a gaggle of Spalding defenders.
Marine (4-4-2): McIntyre, Abankwah, Drysdale, Wardle, Doyle; Whelan, Darby, Sinclair Smith, Jolley, Newell (Kattah 39), Raikhy (Huby 88)
Subs not used: Butler, Potter, Timmins, Lawless, Hilton,
Spalding United (5-3-2): Crook; Kelly, Johnson, Rose, Barton, Jarvis; Fox, Fowkes (Betteka 55), Vaughan (Sani 55); Byrne, Straughan-Brown (Bendle 55)
Subs Not Used: Wills, Cybulski, Grant, Stevenson
Attendance: 1,405.