Date: 4th May 2026
Venue: Sir Halley Stewart Field, Spalding
Final Score: Spalding United 4-2 Real Bedford
Attendance: 10,192
Referee: Matthew Langdon
Match Stats & Key Metrics
Spalding United Real Bedford
Score 4 2
Half Time 1 0
Formation 4-2-3-1 4-3-3
Goalscorers Ceesay 37’ Roberts (pen) 90+2’ Cybulski 92’ Fowkes 118’
55’ Ben Charles Stevens 83’ Joshua James Setchell
Yellow Cards Thompson 55’ Johnson 66’ Pugh 68’ Sani 85’ Fowkes 118’
Hitchcock 66’
Red Cards — —
Attendance 2,700
The Story of the Match
Spalding United was backed by a sellout capacity crowd of 2,700 who were packed into
the quaint and well-appointed Sir Halley Stewart Field Ground, in the heart of Spalding
town centre within a short walk of the town centre and railway station. The home side
defeated Real Bedford in the Southern League – Premier Central Play-Off Final 4-2
after extra time to reach the National League North for the first time in the club’s history.
Football in Spalding, Lincolnshire is on the up as the club have steadily climbed the
non-league ladder thanks in the main to Andrew Killingsworth (AK Holdings) the club
owner, manager Jimmy Dean (ex-Peterborough Sports and Scunthorpe United boss)
with his assistant Chris Plummer (ex-Queens Park Rangers, Barnet and Peterborough
United defender) and some accomplished players who have excelled at the club this
season like Jack Roberts who has interested a number of EFL clubs. Under the
stewardship of Dean and owner Killingsworth they have taken the Tulips to a worthy
promotion along with Harborough Town who were also promoted as Champions into the
National League North for the first time at that level in the history of the club.
Spalding had to go through the play off route beating Halesowen Town 1-0 last Tuesday
night in front of 2,048 fans thanks to the only goal from Yusifu Ceesay in the 76 th minute
to seal the victory and a place in the Final with Real Bedford.
Spalding United opened the scoring through a great header from a corner by Yusifu
Ceesay in the 37 th minute to make it 1-0. The home side held on to the advantage going
into half time and the locals appeared happy with the performance in the opening 45
minutes.
Real Bedford came on strongly after the break and forced an equaliser through a Ben
Stevens right footed shot in the 55 th minute to make it 1-1. Both sides had chances to
score but good saves by both goalkeepers and sorts going wide added to a frantic
second half then Joshua Setchell slotted home to make it 1-2 to the visitors in the 83 rd
minute which looked like the winner but Spalding United backed by great support
weren’t finished and in the second minute of added time the home side were awarded a
penalty and up stepped the golden boy Jack Roberts who calmly slotted home a penalty
to make it 2-2 at full time and take the game to extra time.
Spalding United were the stronger in extra time scoring two goals through Bart Cybulski
in the 92 nd minute to make it 3-2 and then with two minutes remaining substitute Ben
Fowkes dribbled outside the penalty area cut in and fired home to make it 4-2 in the 118
minute to seal a fabulous win for the mighty Tulips. A pitch invasion followed and after
the fans returned, behind the perimeter railings the team were awarded the Trophy, and
the celebrations began for Spalding United Football Club.
Next season Spalding United will host the likes of Brackley Town, Morecambe, AFC
Telford United, Bedford Town, Buxton, Chester, Chorley, Darlington, Hereford, Kings
Lynn Town, Macclesfield, Marine, Merthyr Town, Oxford City, Radcliffe, Scarborough
Athletic, Southport, Spennymoor Town, Worksop Town, Hebburn Town, Harborough
Town, Hednesford Town and South Shields or Kidderminster Harriers who are in next
weekend play off final for a place in the National League.
Timeline of Key Events
37′ – Yusifu Ceesay scores
45’ +4 – Half Time Spalding United 1 Real Bedford 0
51′ – Tom Hitchcock replaced Jack Davies
55′ – Ben Charles Stevens scores
55′ – Yellow Curtis Thompson cautioned
65′ – Josh McCammon replaced Curtis Thompson
66′ – Yellow Connor Johnson cautioned
66′ – Yellow Tom Hitchcock cautioned
68′ – Yellow Tom Pugh cautioned
83′ – Joshua James Setchell scores
85′ – Yellow Abduramane Sani cautioned
85′ – Ben Fowkes replaced Abduramane Sani
90’ +6 – Full Time Spalding United 2 Real Bedford 2
92′ – Bart Cybulski scores
92′ – Jack Roberts scores (pen)
93′ – Lee Jacob Watkins replaced Ben Robert Weyman
105’ +2 – Extra Time Half Time Spalding United 3 Real Bedford 2
109′ – Sam Collins replaced Lewis Mark Hilliard
112′ – Alfie Bendle replaced Jack Roberts
118′ – Yellow Ben Fowkes cautioned
118′ – Ben Fowkes scores
120’ +4 – Extra Time Full Time Spalding United 4 Real Bedford 2
Author’s Standout Players
Yusifu Ceesay (Spalding United) – Great header for opening goal and his pace troubled
Real Bedford all afternoon.
Bart Cybulski (Spalding United) – Industrious up front the lanky striker finally got reward
for his toil with an added time goal.
Jack Roberts (Spalding United) – Dangerous throughout, converted a late penalty to
equalise and take game into extra time.
Ben Fowkes (Spalding United) – Substitute who scored fourth goal with lovely dribble
and sort to seal win in extra time.
Lewis Hilliard (Real Bedford) – great in the middle of the park and produced some key
passes when Bedford came forward.
Connor Johnson (Spalding United) – solid in defence and won all his headed
challenges.
Joshua Setchell (Real Bedford) – great goal to put Real Bedford ahead in second half.
