Pre-Season Part Two - That's Better!

Boston United vs Wigan Athletic

York St from Boston Stump.

After the Boston Town debacle of the week before it could be said that some improvement was required.  A draw away at Stamford preceded Wigan's trip to York St.  I'll come clean here, it wasn't actually the Wigan full team.  In fact only three of the players on show had ever had first team squad numbers.  Still the team dispatched by the Premier League outfit was good enough to provide a stern test.  Good enough to demand a £12 entrance fee too, apparently.  Steep for a friendly!

Following a poor pre-season to date the formation was switched about a bit to a supposed 4-3-3 which ended up as more of a 4-5-1.  A couple of trialists, Ben Wilkinson and Ben Milnes, dropped into the centre of the park to accompany Chris Hall while Holsgrove and Semple pushed up the wings to support Newsham in the lone striker role.  The defence seems to be pretty settled with Parker and Austin in the middle, flanked by Canoville and Jelleyman.

United playing in the new white and blue away kit

Both teams started well, with United showing a significant improvement over the previous week.  Newsham, supplied by Semple, saw the first real effort of the game well saved.  Wigan's class was soon showing through as a belting shot onto the crossbar from 35yards out was shortly followed by an altogether less classy finish from a yard out.  Rugg played the ball around the stricken United defence and slotted home.  United fought back strongly but Milnes long range effort was saved and Newsham was judged off-side after tapping-in.  Another long range effort clipped off the bar from Wigan and another goal to follow only this time it went the way of the home team.  Newsham combined well with the superb Holsgrove who, through on goal, mashed the ball into the bottom of the net to bring United level just before half-time.

Half-time saw Suarez replace Newsham and more changes shortly after saw the introduction of Fairclough, Milson and Joachim for Parker, Wilkinson and Holsgrove.  United were looking the more dangerous in the early stages of the second period, the useful Milnes bringing the adjective wheel into use once again by tanning the woodwork from range.  Joachim used his "pace" to dive onto a Semple cross as yet another United chance went unconverted.  There were still opportunities left though, Milnes excellence setting up an opening for Jelleyman to cross to Suarez.  Jelleyman was provider once again as another cross to Suarez found it's way to Semple who nailed the ball home into the far corner to put United 2-1 up.

Wigan fought to get back into the game but with just over ten minutes remaining they were unable to beat the Boston back-line.  So United chalked up the first win of pre-season with a much improved performance in front of the 722 people at a sunny York St.  The 4-3-3 formation worked much better and the team seemed much more balanced.  Milnes provided a good threat in the middle and I'd love to see us keep him on as he and Sleath, with Hall playing a deeper roll would provide a strong midfield.  The defence looked much more settled and confident in each other's abilities while the front line looked sharp and dangerous, in the first-half at least.  All in all, a much better performance.

Since Saturday, Boston have defeated Lincoln United 3-1 in the Lincs. Senior Shield and go on to play Gainsborough on Tuesday night.  The 4-3-3 system was maintained and Milnes started!  Next up for the team is Mansfield Town at York St on Saturday.

Next up for me: Possibly Gainsborough away, probably Lincoln City at York St.

Pre-Season Part One - Oh Dear...

So we're back, pre-season has kicked off for another year.  There have been a few changes in the Boston side, a few players have gone and a few have come in.  Grimsby have taken Pearson and Church, while Boyes, Clarke, Cullingworth, Davidson, Dudfield, Murphy, Weir-Daley and Yates have all moved on to pastures new.  The managers have looked to the past to replace these players by bringing in ex-Boston boys Matt Hocking, Julian Joachim, Adam Millson, Liam Parker, Jamie Stevens and Mikel Suarez all getting run outs with varying degrees of success.  Only Joachim, Millson, Parker and Suarez survived the 3-3 draw with Arnold Town in the first week of pre-season.  The managers have managed to bring in the odd new face in the form of Chris Hall, Jordan Fairclough, and Cullingworth's tormentor from last season, Kevin Holsgrove.  A few youth/reserve team players have also made the step up to first team for the friendlies.

Boston Town vs Boston United

Boston Town were United's second pre-season opponents and they also had their fair share of ex-United players with Alex Beck, Shane Clancy, Danny Matson and Chris Wright.  As the swift summer shower abated over Tattershall Road.  United lined up with Bastock in goal; Jelleyman, Austin, Canoville and Fairclough in defence; Semple, Hall, Sleath and Holsgrove in midfield; Joachim and Stones started up front.

The contest was even in the early stages with both teams creating chances but failing to convert them.  Semple lobbed a chance just over Chris Wright's bar and in his scramble to make sure it wasn't dipping in the portly, ex-United shot stopper pulled the net off the crossbar.  Clancy and Matson both failed to trouble the score-sheet at the other end.  Holsgrove had the only other presentable chance of the half but curled the ball well wide.  Bastock provided some head in hands entertainment as he decided to sprint out to the Town winger in possession, throw in a poor tackle before getting up and throwing in another one to give away a free-kick.  0-0 at half time was a reasonable representation of the game.  United hadn't impressed so far, Stones and Joachim both looked ponderous up front and didn't worry the Town back line.  Meanwhile the United back line were really struggling to deal with pace as Austin and Canoville both looked a few yards short.

The second half saw the introduction of Ricky Drury for Bazza, who'd presumably worn himself out by sprinting to left-back.  Semple was also dragged off and replaced by Harry Deane.  Sleath had clearly decided that United were incapable and so that he had to win the game on his own.  Unfortunately he could do nothing but swing a free-kick high over the bar.  Sleath was playing well and was the catalyst in most of United's attacking play, the midfield will struggle without him as he is in the Student World Games, or whatever they are called, for the first four games of the season.  Holsgrove should have scored but he dithered and gave Wright a chance to claim the ball.

Town deservedly took the lead in the 54th minute as Alex Beck cut into the box before firing a shot home to torment his old club.  United responded by changing the back line, all of them.  Millson came on at right back, Field at left with Ward and Parker in the middle.  There were also changes up front with Holsgrove and Joachim replaced by Ogden and Suarez respectively.  These changes resulted in a wave of pressure from United with three Sleath chances going begging.  Suarez also had a headed opportunity but couldn't get the shot anywhere near the target.  United were caught short at the back as Beck out-leapt the considerably taller Parker to put the game out of United's reach with a minute remaining.

It doesn't look good for United, while Town played reasonably well it doesn't mask the obvious deficiencies in the United squad.  The defence looks very short on pace in the middle and a quick opponent will take advantage.  Fairclough looked reasonable in the first half but had a shocker in the second period before being subbed.  There was at least one occasion where he ran forward, lost the ball and then didn't make the effort to get back.  The midfield looked reasonable going forward, Sleath was excellent as usual, but Hall was fairly anonymous for much of the game and isn't the sort of player who is going to put the tackles in when needed.  Holsgrove looks reasonable and commits defenders, encouraging the overlap.  The real worry is the lack of a goal-scorer.  Newsham is proven but fragile, Suarez a supporting player, Stones and Joachim just don't look good enough to put the chances away on a regular basis.

So in short, United can't defend, score or pass it around the middle; a dangerous combination.  There is much improvement needed before the start of the season.

Next up: More pre-season action.