TULIPS: Five's extra resolve for New Year derby
Stamford v Spalding United (Thursday, 3pm)
SPALDING United can expect a hostile reception at the Vic Couzens Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
The Lincolnshire duo don't share a particularly fierce rivalry, but the Tulips are likely to field up to seven former Stamford players.
Five of them – Martin Wormall, Steve Julian, Dan French, Adam Jones and Robert Hughes – all followed former Daniels boss Graham Drury to Corby Town midway through last season.
Their departure coincided with a drastic dip in form for the Daniels, who were eventually relegated from the UniBond Premier Division on the final day of the campaign.
Tulips top scorer Ricky Miller and midfielder Luke Kennedy have also enjoyed spells with Stamford.
Spalding boss Alan Biley is expecting a New Year's Day cracker.
He said: "It's amazing to think that we have so many players who used to play for them.
"All of the former players have different stories about why they left and they all have something to prove.
"It's fair to say some of the guys left under a cloud, so they won't need much motivation."
Daniels boss Dougie Keast, who replaced Drury, said: "It's all water under the bridge now as far as I am concerned.
"There will be plenty of pride at stake with it being a local derby. Hopefully it will be a good game and one that we win."
Spalding will also come across some familiar faces, with their reigning player of the year Shaun Pearson expected to line up for Keast's side.
They will also be up against talented midfielder Dan Cotton, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field two years ago. He grabbed the only goal in the reverse fixture earlier this campaign.
Even in defeat, Biley took great heart from that performance against a side he expects to be there or there abouts come the end of the season.
He added: "Stamford are one of the strongest sides in this league. They have a great side. The league is so tight that if anybody puts a run together, ourselves included, they will be in the play-off picture.
"We are no longer cannon fodder in Lincolnshire derbies and we are going there to win. That's the only way we know how to play.
"The way Stamford celebrated after beating us shows how far we have come."
Stamford are in formidable form and are unbeaten in 11 league games. They have yet to be beaten at home in UniBond Division One South this season, a run stretching ten matches.
Only Hednesford Town have managed to knock off the Daniels on their own patch, winning 4-3 in a thrilling FA Carlsberg Trophy clash back in November.
Both sides have no fresh injury concerns, with the Tulips expected to name the same squad that lost 1-0 to Lincoln United on Boxing Day.
Biley will decide on the fitness of Nicky Young (ear infection) today.
The Tulips will move level on points with the Daniels if they can secure all three points.
See our website www.spaldingtoday.co.uk for the first news of the derby clash.
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Weather for Spalding
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
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