TULIPS: Ex-Porto man boosts Spalding
FORMER FC Porto strike ace David De Oliveira heads a list of four new Spalding United signings.
The 24 year-old penned forms with the Tulips after their 5-1 friendly defeat to Corby Town on Tuesday night.
Joining him at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field are striker Craig Gordon, left-sider Davy Shepherd and commanding centre-back Khameel Spence.
De Oliveira, who also lists eight-time French Ligue 1 champions FC Nantes and Portuguese Superliga outfit Leixoes among his past employers, has more recently enjoyed spells with Boston United and Boston Town.
The attacking midfielder/striker was born in France, but holds dual French Portuguese nationality.
Fellow frontman Gordon joins from Louth Town, as new boss Mark Hone bids to address his lack of attacking options.
With prolific duo Ricky Miller and Martin Wormall no longer at the club, the Tulips had been looking a little thread-bare up top.
Shepherd is no stranger to the Spalding faithful, with the most recent of his numerous stints at the club coming under the charge of Alan Biley last season.
He left for pastures new after failing to secure a starting berth, and turned out for Wisbech Town and March in the past 12 months.
The 20-year old, who is equally adept at left back or in midfield, first featured for the Tulips four years ago.
Towering defender Spence completes the quartet of additions, and becomes the fourth player to join from UCL Premier Division side Bourne Town this summer.
He impressed in an under-performing Wakes line-up last season, but left at the back end of 2008 because of his RAF commitments.
The new arrivals are a welcome boost for the Tulips, after some pretty disappointing pre-season form to date.
Graham Drury's Corby handed Spalding a third successive home loss with relative ease on Tuesday.
They led at the break courtesy of a Liam Mettam strike on eight minutes.
Spalding did have their moments, with new skipper Andy Toyne striking the post with a sweet 20-yard effort.
With a host of changes made early in the second period, the Tulips fell apart and found themselves 4-0 down.
Strikes from Steve Diggin and Jason Lee (2) did the damage, before Gosberton youngster Tom Grantham grabbed Spalding's opening goal of the campaign.
He pounced on a rebound to notch on dbut, doing his chances for the future no harm at all.
Former Spalding favourite Paul Tocco had the final word, drilling home a late penalty to round off a pretty miserable evening for the hosts.
With just two more friendly matches scheduled before their first competitive clash of the season, the Tulips are in urgent need of some momentum.
Boston Town (tonight, 7.45pm) and a Luton Town XI (Saturday, 3pm) visit the Sir Halley Stewart, before rivals Grantham Town roll into town on Tuesday evening for a Lincolnshire Senior Shield showdown.
Tulips: Roberts, Kay, D Hone, Spence, King, O'Neill, Toyne (c), Cook, Shepherd, Gordon, Tiago. Subs: Flavio, Chilvers, Graham.
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Weather for Spalding
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
