The nights are drawing in. A chill has descended. Dr Who is back on the telly.

The summer is over.

And so our unbeaten run, like all good things, has come to an end.

But let this match report not be a paean to the halcyon days of our two-one win over a decent Kettering outfit, or our four-one triumph over a struggling Wisbech XI. We need to look forward. Find strength. Set new challenges.

Spalding 2nds had always threatened to pop our balloon, coming down as they had done from Div 3 last year. Still though, we had assembled a squad that, on paper at least, had looked very good indeed, even if in reality it looked more like a Boden catalogue from the mid-2000s.

We had the better of the opening exchanges, but after coughing up the ball in the upper left corner, fell behind to a well-executed break.

Baggers drew us level, tonking in a cross-come-shot which a defender helpfully prodded in.

Our visitors re-took the lead after twenty minutes or so, flicking in a rebound after an initial short corner save, but as half-time approached, we did like-wise. Bhav Virdee was the scorer after Ash Artaman had tested out the keeper's chestguard.

The second period was similarly competitive, but always played in a good spirit.

Midway through the half, Spalding took the lead for the third and final time, again after a short corner which was initially repelled.

We tried what we could to find another equaliser, first subbing defensive lynchpin Tom Anns and then Jason Mann in goal, but despite Jon Mann, Mark Williams and Matt Kenzie going close, it wasn't to be.

It remains tighter than a badger's nadger for the promotion spots in Div 4, so we move on to next week's trip to Cambridge City with motivation a'plenty.