Boston United 1 County 1 ( Conference North) 31 January 2015
I am unaware
of what odds the bookies were quoting for today`s game, but with the rampant
Pilgrims having disposed of Lowestoft, Colwyn Bay and the excellent Guiseley,
the last 3 visitors to York Street ( I still refuse to call it the Jakeman
Stadium),by scores of 5-3, 5-0 and 5-1 respectively, no one outside of SK3 gave County so much as the slenderest of
chances of coming out of this clash of play off hopefuls, with anything.
In the
event, for a time ...leading by a Jack Ryan goal.....the white shirted blues
looked more than likely winners. But.....close to half time, County were caught
on the break and punished by a back post finish from Liam Marrs, which was the
signal for much pressure from the home side thereafter. Thankfully however, some
excellent County defending more than matched it-Lees and O`Halloran again
topping the bill in this respect, but with the increasingly impressive Charlie
Russell and constantly improving Chris Churchman not far behind. It was however
a day to say `well done’ to the whole team, who worked above and beyond- scorer
Jack Ryan typifying this element- going off late on to an ovation from the
travelling County supporters after defending as wholeheartedly as he attacked
throughout!
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| Ready for the off...... |
As early as
the second minute, County had work to do at the back, and there was an early
lecture for Baker as County were forced to defend a free kick. They did so, and
Charlie Russell earned early plaudits, doing just enough to deny Grant Roberts
who was threatening at the edge of the box. The home specs didn`t like this
much....but I did, and I was not alone.
The
underfoot conditions looked likely to play a big part in the way the game
panned out, being about as glutinous as it was possible to be, but it was the
same for both sides , so I consoled myself with that thought as Lees was
penalised forcing County to defend another difficult free kick. Again County
did the biz well, indeed O`Halloran did better than `well’ `tying Dayle
Southwell in a series of intricate knots as he attempted to dart clear. Baker
joined in, hooking clear after the first of many long throws looked to bring
the cosh down on County heads.
After
this.....the long throws pinged into the County box with regularity- Churchman
seeing an effort by ex Hatter Carl Piergianni off, and Hurst making an impressive catch to deal with
another.
O`Halloran meanwhile, was already in top form –finding
time to embellish a neat bit of defensive work, with a powerful dart up-field,
and another excellent bit of work to stop Roberts , whose run ,up to that
point, had taken him to the edge of the box.
So far...so
good.....Boston had got forward a fair bit, but had not unduly
inconvenienced
County in so doing. The 13th minute offered a glimpse of the 5 goal
United the home specs were noisily telling us about. It started with good work
by Nick Walker who lifted a nicely weighted ball into Southwell`s path inside
the box. It was a real chance, and if taken might have severely dented County`s
confidence, but it didn`t, as Southwell`s shot whistled just past the post.
This already
looked a lively encounter, and went on with Dennis probing for an opening at
one end, whilst Southwell did likewise at the other. In between there was of
course another long throw for County to deal with, but Hurst excelled himself
with a catch of consummate confidence, and this danger passed without either
side shipping a goal.
County did
work a decent opening down the left next, but Ryan`s dive at the far post just
failed to see him reach Glover`s cross, but with almost 20 minutes gone, Boston
looked the more likely of the two sides to break the deadlock. In response to
this fact, County had to stay on their toes, and O`Halloran did this to
perfection in blunting a run by Piergianni, but when another of those infernal
throws pinged in, and Piergianni went for it....he went unopposed and I was not
alone in being relieved to see his free header fly horribly wide!
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| Churchman to the fore.... |
On it went
with Lees....Churchman....Baker all in there doing good stuff....making
decisive interventions. Walker and Massiah McDonald were the disappointed
forwards, and the County midfield men had done well to deny them, but there was
no one around as McDonald was allowed free rein down the left. It looked
decidedly iffy as he made it almost to the by-line, and even more so as he
fired a venomous cross the way of Mark
Jones a yard out. It could have been the opener ....but it wasn`t as Hurst rose
to the situation magnificently – grabbing the ball before Jones could reach it!
Shortly
after ....another McDonald run was tended to rather better by County- Jacobs
slider ending the number seven`s run nicely, and from the build up that
followed
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| McDonald on the move...... |
County went one up on the break as Ryan took a pass by Dennis from the
by-line, before slamming a fine drive on the turn past Dixon ,the home keeper.
Suitably
invigorated, County surged forward next –a fine ball by Churchman teeing Dennis
up for a shot that whizzed an inch or so wide of the target, and for a time the
pressure was definitely on the Pilgrims – decent play from Duxbury and Russell
earning County a corner. Ryan went close from this, and Churchman did well with
some alert work that did for a break by Southwell.
O`Halloran (
twice) and Ryan got good blocks in after
this , the Boston attacking being abbreviated via a Glover run that earned a
corner ,that Dixon gobbled up hungrily.
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| Treatment for Duxbury. |
Amidst all
the above activity, Duxbury sustained an injury that necessitated treatment,
and it is arguable whether he was fully back 100% when the next action happened
and Walker powered a cross over from the right. Southwell went for
it......missed it....but Marrs, charging in at the far post, didn`t ...forcing
the ball home before being buried in an avalanche of yellow and black shirts!
The rest of
the half saw County defending – looking on helplessly as Southwell, who was to
waste a prodigious number of chances in the game, lifted the ball into the
crowd. County were far from helpless with the last action of the
half....hapless would be a more appropriate description as Jacobs` piled unnecessary pressure on us
with an unnecessary foul on McDonald in a tasty spot on the edge of the
box. The danger was obvious from this, and only abated with the sight of the
unfortunate Southwell fluffing his lines when well set close in, when the kick
came over.
Honours even
then after 45 minutes play...what would the second 45 bring us?
Well...for
starters.....Hurst lit up proceedings saving bravely with his legs with
Southwell still looking for that elusive goal. For maybe 5 minutes this pattern
settled in with County having to defend, and doing so well!
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| County under pressure. |
The 51st
minute saw a break on for County, and Dennis the man in charge of it, so when
he surged into the box and went down under pressure from MacNaMee- I wager that I was not alone in thinking that
we might have a penalty. I was wholly mistaken, but not greatly surprised by
the refusal!
For much of
the time, as I have said, County were defending with determination and skill,
but they would also manage to pass possession away, which was almost suicidal on the gelatinous
playing surface! It was just fortunate that Southwell pretty much always was
the one possession was spilled to ultimately, and he just could not find the
target- his effort in the 53rd minute typically flying wide.
Still...we
had Lees and O`Halloran and they were rocks offering constant inspiration to
the likes of Russell, who again was having a decent game. This need to learn
from older/ wiser heads was no better advertised than just after the hour, when
a County raid broke down and Duxbury, instead of allowing the ball to drift out
of play....lifted it into the keeper`s hands from behind the by-line. This
enabled the keeper to take a quick goal kick, but before he could do so Ryan
kicked the ball away, to earn an unnecessary
booking!
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| Russell on the ball..... |
Good work
from O`Halloran and Russell, then sent
Glover through, but despite a tackle of
the rustic variety from Marrs on Glover, that laid him out- nothing came
County`s way- and definitely not a penalty. They got back into it though none
the less, harrying Boston into error, but at the sharp end the finish was
missing , an when Dennis did manage to sneak clear, on 65 minutes, he was
flagged offside.
At the other
end....Southwell`s travails continued to plumb the depths as he dragged a shot
wide a minute later, following that with a lamentable effort 5 minutes on from that, as County`s growing propensity
to concede free kicks in unfortunate positions threatened to undo them. He
really should have put that last one away, but he didn`t, and he didn`t
again in the very next attack after
Jones had scooted clear through a cavernous gap in the County defences – his
shot thudding into the ad boards.
With 20
minutes left Sharp came on for Ryan, who left to generous and well deserved
applause from the County following, as County...with Lees to the fore soaked up
the pressure from their hosts. Zac Mills shot wide in this period, and Hurst
came to the rescue falling onto the ball in the crowded box with a clutch of
yellow/ black shirts striving to force it home.
It had been
a decent game and played largely in a good spirit, but I was not impressed to
see Felix try his best to get Churchman sent off....lying `dogo` until it was
plain only a yellow would be waved, before instantly reviving!
Into the
last 10 minutes or so we went, with Sharp warming to his task- winning a corner
off MacNaMee, and being inches away from getting to a neat ball by Glover.
Somehow Boston survived, but it was County desperately doing so next as the
home specs went AS with the sight of a Hurst spill on the line, from a Newsome
shot- he recovered quickly and the home side were disappointed again.
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| Churchman free kick. |
Whilst most
of the attacking was coming from the Pilgrims, by no means all was, and Sharps
fresh legs were causing Boston a problem or two, and as in other games, the way
to stop Sharp was to foul him, which was a good source of relief in the closing
minutes via the free kicks, one of which saw a shot from Churchman fiz its way
just past the post!
 |
| Close call for Boston. |
On it went
with Boston hell bent on that winning goal, but no nearer achieving it- thanks
to a Hurst diving save from one of a number of corners, and a clearance from
Jacobs that lifted a bit of a siege.
Sharp
continued to win free kicks.....Boston kept up the search for `that goal`-coming
closest via Mills who saw his shot thud into the underside of the crossbar,
with 90 minutes almost up.
Into added
time we went....Hurst punching out firmly under pressure, and Russell winning
the ball impressively. When the ball reached Sharp he again underlined his
value by earning a free kick in a decent position. Glover lifted a
disappointing kick over the bar, and County put Boston under pressure pretty
much to the final whistle.
Game over then...point
won, and a good point too, against a team that had laid waste to the impressive
Guiseley amongst others!
Well worth
the effort to get there and watch the game.
Tuesday
brings Barrow to Edgeley Park, and I for one fancy another upset!
County line
up:
Hurst,
Jacobs, Lees, O`Halloran, Duxbury( Todd 77), Churchman, Russell, Baker, Glover,
Dennis, Ryan( Sharp 71).
Subs not
used:
Ormson,Lofthouse,
Woolfe.
Boston
United line up:
Dixon,
MacNaMee, Marrs, Roberts, Garner, Piergianni, McDonald( Felix 57), Mills,
Southwell( Newsham77), Jones, Walker.
Subs not
used:
Hollingsworth,
Simmonds, Vince.
Attendance ;
1072
Ian Brown
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