Taking a look at County v Boston

THE PILGRIMS VISIT EP

In a repeat of our first ever National League North game two years ago, it's former Football League rivals Boston United who open up County's 2015-16 season.

CURRENT FORM

With no league games this season it's just the pre-season fare that might give an indication of how much Boston are up for this game. Their last five games include matches against Under-21 sides from the upper tiers of football. These produced very different results. Against Nottingham Forest the Pilgrims recorded an excellent 4-1 victory with goals from Mark Jones, Kaine Felix, Scott Garner and Zak Mills. Sunderland proved a much more difficult task and the Black Cats U21s scored 5 without reply.

In between these there was one competitive game for United with a Lincolnshire Senior Cup tie. Boston will have no further interest in this season's competition having lost on penalties to National League Lincoln City after trialist keeper Ravas had kept City at bay during the game. Next up were another National League side in Grimsby Town. Kaine Felix got the Boston goal to level the scores at one point during the game, but Grimsby went on to win 3-1.

They finished the practice games with a 2-2 draw at Worksop Town on Monday. The Boston United XI included many players who are unlikely to be involved at EP, but their scorers on the night, Jack Friend, a striker on loan from Peterborough United, and Jamie McGhee, may well take to the Edgeley turf. .

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Both sides may include a player who has previously turned out for their opponents. In Boston's case it defender Carl Piergianni (pictured right), who has faced County in all pour recent meetings. He was a member of the Hatters' squad back in 2011-12, and for a few weeks the following season; making 47 appearances. In the County line-up is Kevin Holsgrove. Kevin joined the Pilgrims at the start of the 2011-12 season. A regular choice, he made 9 appearances, scoring twice, before revealing in September that the travelling from his Merseyside home was proving too much, bringing an untimely end to his spell at Boston.

THE BOSTON'S SQUAD

Boston added a couple of late signings this week in Jordan Deacey and young keeperHenrich Ravas who has been with them throughout pre-season. The men that manager Dennis Greene will select his 16 from today are:

Name	Pos	Known Past Clubs (may not be complete)
Henrich Ravas	G	FK Senica,  Spartak Myjava. Peterborough U,  Yaxley
Sam Vince	G	-
Scott Garner	D	Leicester C,  Ilkeston T(L),  Mansfield T,  Grimsby T,  Alfreton T(L),  Cambridge U,  Lincoln C(L),  Lincoln C(L),  Boston U(L)
Liam Marrs	LB/M	Sunderland,  Boston U(L)
Zac Mills	RB	Histon
Carl Piergianni	D	Peterborough U,  Spalding U(L),  Altrincham(L),  COUNTY,  Corby T
Connor Smythe	D	Scunthorpe U,  DR to Lincoln U(DR)
Jordan Deacey	M	Bradford PA,  AFC Telford U,  Bradford PA(L)
Kyle Dixon	M	Notts Co,  Grantham T(L),  Boston U(L),  AFC Telford U(L)
Grant Roberts	M/D	Sheffield U,  Ossett T,  Guiseley,  Histon,  Gainsborough Tr
Jake Sheridan	M	Notts Co,  Tamworth,  Eastwood T,  Lincoln C,  Alfreton T,  Boston U(L)
Kaine Felix	W	St Neots T
Jamie McGhee	W	Mansfield T,  Corby T,  Grantham T,  DR to Belper T (DR)
Jay Rollins	W	Askern V,  Armthorpe Welf
Dayle Southwell	F/M	Grimsby T,  Harrogate T(L)
Jack Friend	F	Wisbech T,  Peterborough U
Cameron Johnson	F	ex-Rossington Main
Mark Jones	F	Blackstones,  Peterborough NS,  Deeping R,  Corby T,  Boston U,  Gainsborough Tr,  Spalding U,  Boston U (L)
Louis Saebe	F	-
Zephaniah Thomas	F	Rotherham U,  Ilkeston T,  Parkgate,  Rossington Main,  Stocksbridge PS,  Garden City Broncbusters [usa],  RC Montgnee [bel],  Cowdenbeath,  Thunder Bay Chill [can],  Sheffield FC,  Mickleover Sp,  Scarborough Ath,  Mickleover Sp,  Matlock T,  Goole,  L to Sheffield(L)

PAST MEETINGS

It's Boston's fourth visit to EP and the honours have been shared with a win for each side in both the Football League and National League North. In 2006 Julian Joachim gave United the win with the only goal in front of over 5,000 fans. In January the following year Adam Proudlock and Tes Bramble scored what turned out to the be the first game of our 10-in-a-row record breaking run.. For the later games All Things Stockport County has match reports on this blog.

2005-06 FL 25 Feb 0-1
2006-07 FL 13 Jan 2-0
2013-14 NN 17 Aug 1-4 [match report]
2014-15 NN 13 Sep 3-2 [match report]
County score given first. FL - Football League, NN - National League North

PAST CONNECTIONS

The men above are amongst those who have played for both clubs - although I've had to move Tom Bennett into the position he played during his Wolves days due to a lack of defenders. Anthony Elding made his debut for County , against Boston in January 2007, a few days after signing from Boston. The striker has spent the last few years playing for clubs either side of the Irish border, most recently at Derry City. Conrad Logan was of course a Wembley play-off winner for the hatters back in May 2008. He had two spells on loan at Boston before the first of his two temporary transfers to County. Asa Hartford lost his job as County manager in March 1989, a move that lead to the arrival of Danny Bergara at the club. A couple of years later he finished his lengthy playing career with a 15 game stint for Boston.


Ian Watts