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Boston United vs Eastwood Town

Things didn't exactly start well in United's final encounter of the calender year.  Troubled Eastwood were ahead within two minutes, ex-Pilgrim and Boston hero, Franny Green converting from a whipped cross.  Despite the poor start, United were flying!  Milnes and Kirk were denied by the excellent Severn in the Eastwood net.  A headed effort by Ward was kept out on the line.  Newsham had two chances to restore parity, putting one over the top off his head before slotting home his second chance superbly, only to be ruled offside.  With the pressure building on Eastwood, they extended their lead.  A fantastic curling effort from Franny Green, who is surely too good for this level, curling out of the reach of Bazza.

Boxing Day football at York St.

This seemed to be the story of the season in one 12 minute period, playing well but getting nowhere.  It was looking like one of those days as Severn denied Jason Lee from close range.  Sleath broke that spell with a long range drive into the bottom corner and Boston were up and running.  Franny Green was still causing the back line plenty of trouble forcing Bazza to tip an effort over the bar but it was Boston in the ascendency.  The home team were soon level, Ward powering home a Milnes corner with his head minutes before the break.

After half-time United piled yet more pressure onto the beleaguered Eastwood back-line.  Gaffer Lee was in the thick of the action knocking one onto the post before flicking on to Newsham who's neat finish put Boston into the lead.  The Eastwood heads dropped and United piled forward.  An hour in and United put another away.  Lee, again in the thick of things, smashing home forcefully after a blocked Milnes effort fell kindly.  Constantine was thrown into the action for the first time as the pace of the game slowed.  United, having tied things up with the fourth goal, took their foot off the gas.  Eastwood nearly reduced the deficit, rattling the woodwork before Green was denied excellently by Bazza, but it was to be United's day.

Eastwood Town vs Boston United

Following the entertaining Boxing Day clash, United made the return leg on an extremely wet New Years Day.  The rain had made the pitch slick and with Eastwood having played well just days earlier this wasn't going to be an easy encounter by any stretch.  United walked out into the rain unchanged in-front of a predominantly Bostonian crowd; well, unchanged except that we had two number fives on the pitch, a fact not noticed by the officials for several minutes.  Clubs never seem to expect Boston to bring fans and Eastwood were no different, selling out of programmes in the club shop an hour before kick off.  There were a few parallels to be drawn between the Boxing day game and this encounter.  Mainly that Boston started well, Ross chipping just over; before Eastwood took the lead.  A cross, resulting from Fairclough being brushed aside with worrying ease, let in Green who punished United yet again with a massive deflection off Ward foxing Bazza.

A very soggy Eastwood.

Eastwood players were starting to dive in a bit and a horrendous challenge was inevitable.  Milnes was the victim, hobbling off injured.  The ref then went from hindrance to help a minute or so later.  A fifty-fifty challenge between Austin and an Eastwood player on the edge of the home team's box saw the Eastwood player come off worse and give away a free-kick too.  The salt was really rubbed into the wound as a masterful Ross free-kick curled beautifully into the top-corner, the 'keeper having no-chance.

Boston weren't level for long.  A complete lack of communication between Bazza rushing out of his net and Fairclough rushing the other way saw Fairclough head neatly over the 'keeper for Christie to tap home.  Fairclough shouldn't head towards his own net but then Bazza should've given a shout.  Either way, United were behind again.  Fairclough was also making inroads at the other end, planting a shot firmly into the side netting.  Bastock was needed to tip the ball just over the bar, preventing United conceding a third from a free-kick.

United search for the winner.

Half-time saw the introduction of Ryan Semple.  Semple absolutely destroyed Eastwood time after time when he had the ball.  Boston nearly scored from a corner early on in the half but the ball was blocked by Burge and was neither a handball or over the line from my perspective.  Boston were barrelling forward and leaving bigger gaps at the back than usual.  Bastock made a good double save to deny Eastwood.  The save proved to be vital as minutes later United scored from their second corner in quick succession.  Ross cut the ball back to Semple who delivered a telling cross into the box.  Newsham was on hand to convert.

The Eastwood number seven spent much of the game making a tit of himself and seemed more interested in trying to get one over on the Boston fans than actually playing.  Sadly for him he failed miserably and was subbed off before he was sent off, what an idiot.  Boston sensed a win with 20 minutes left.  Newsham hit a fantastic effort on the turn but it was well blocked.  United were pressing hard, Jason Lee putting an effort wide with minutes to go.  This time round Eastwood did hang on and claimed a point as United went home ruing mistakes in the back-line and an inability to convert chances.

Next up for me: Dartford FC away in the FA Trophy second round proper.

Dr Jekyll

Boston United vs Hyde FC

The first round proper of the FA Trophy brought yet another new team to York St... no, wait... brought the same team that was here barely a month ago.  Hyde did us over on that occasion with a couple of soft goals.  Since then United have been in good form, with the exception of the last Trophy game, even if results haven't quite been there.  In an effort to maintain this momentum the line-up was unchanged.

Apologies for the lack of photos, my camera doesn't like to focus when it's cold.

The story of Boston's season was played out in the first half as the Pilgrims did well but struggled to threaten in the final third.  There were very few chances of note, Hyde seeing a chance flicked just wide of the post while United saw Newsham and Semple shots blocked.  Ian Ross had a go from range, forcing the Hyde 'keeper to save well.  United went behind just before the break, the otherwise good Jordan Fairclough was done down the Pilgrims right and the resulting cross was smashed past Bastock via the head of Spencer.  Boston tried to respond immediately but Jason Lee's header was cleared off the line.

The second half performance was much improved and the Pilgrims pushed Hyde back.  The good Boston play was rewarded on the hour.  Austin converting a Milnes corner to notch up his eighth goal in twenty something years and his first for the Pilgrims.  As the Pilgrims celebrated, Hyde's Griffin stupidly mouthed off and earned himself a second yellow.  Possibly the daftest sending off since Jamie Yates threw a ball in a players face when Boston were 10-0 up against Durham!  

Moonrise over the York St end; brass monkeys.

Ben Fairclough was thrown into the mix as ten-men Hyde struggled to handle United.  United scored their second through Ben Fairclough, the shortest player on the pitch - possibly in the world - heading home a driven cross from Ross.  Hyde recovered well and maintained possession in the closing stages but the return of Tom Ward in the middle of the defence, after Jelleyman was subbed off injured, ensured that nothing got through.  Ward has been a massive miss for Boston so hopefully he's nearly back to match fitness.  Despite their possession it was Hyde who looked more likely to concede.  United were giving the Manchester club a taste of their own medicine and playing confidently, with pace on the break.  Sleath was twice denied by the Hyde shot-stopper who then had to be alert to keep Ross out just before full-time.

Boston through to the second round then and the draw has thrown up Dartford away.  Dartford are doing well in the BSB South and will be a tough challenge for the Pilgrims.  Don't they have grass on their roof or something?

Next up for me: Eastwood Town at York St on Boxing Day.

Boston Boys

Boston United vs Burnley

York St.

The youth system at Boston United, headed by Steve Welsh, has been a fantastic set-up for many years now. This seasons FA Youth Cup has seen the youth team receiving the rewards and success that they deserve, whilst simultaneously showing the first team how to play cup football. The lads had beaten Lincoln United, Mickleover Sports, Pinxton, Stourport Swifts, Burton Albion and Bradford City to get into the third round of the competition, one of only four non-league youth set-ups to do so. The reward for this run was to host Championship club Burnley in front of a fantastic 492 at York St. That's a greater attendance for United's youth team on a Tuesday night than seen at eight out of the nine BSB North games in mid-week.

Hipwell barking orders at his defence.

Very early on in the game United matched the visitors but it was soon apparent that Burnley were a class above.  United were dogged - Charlie Rossington playing particularly well at left back - but never really threatened Burnley's net.  Hipwell in the Boston net, giving vocal encouragement to his back-line throughout the game, was forced into a good save before centre-back Jordan Nuttell was called into action to hook the ball off the line.  Hipwell was forced into another good save and then it was the bar to the Pilgrims rescue as Burnley dominated possession and chances.

The pressure finally told in the 34th minute, Gilchrist turning to plant the ball home well.  Nuttell was needed to clear off the line for the second time, to save the blushes of Hipwell.  Burnley were soon two up though.  A deflected Hewitt free-kick foxing Hipwell.  Boston had a chance to reply but the Burnley 'keeper was paying attention and saved well.

After the break United had another opportunity to pull one back, Elliot Price deftly chipping the ball over the onrushing Burnley shot stopper.  This time it was the Clarets' turn to have blushes spared by a goal-line clearance.  Boston were to rue these missed chances as a crazy twelve minute spell saw them concede five goals and be reduced to ten men.  The twelve minutes were began with a diving header from Howieson to plough home a Williams cross.  Nuttell made a hash of a clearance, slicing the ball past his own 'keeper before Mullin made it five from just inside the box.

Burnley line up a free-kick.

Boston were reduced to ten men as Sanders got himself sent-off for what the linesman saw as a cynical elbow to the defenders face.  Shortly after the dismissal the Pilgrims conceded their sixth, Gilchrist heading past Hipwell.  Gilchrist completed his hat-trick, and United's rout, two minutes later as he converted a Hewitt shot which had come back off the bar.  Boston re-grouped and regained a bit of composure to pin Burnley to seven goals but the damage had been done.  The Pilgrims were unlucky not to pull one back through Tricks just before the final whistle signalled an end to their FA Youth Cup run.

Next up: Hyde at York St in the FA Trophy first round proper.

Well We Were Never Going To Win That!

Stalybridge Celtic vs Boston United

A miserable day in Cheshire.

Historically the Pilgrims do not travel well to Bower Fold with four losses out of four trips and, with Stalybridge on good form, this trip didn't promise to be any better; on the up side, the Buffet Bar on Stalybridge station is a superb pub and makes the trip worth it, even if the football is rubbish!

As it turned out the football wasn't rubbish at all.  United nearly went ahead early on, Sleath setting Newsham up to draw a fantastic save from the Stalybridge 'keeper.  Boston were playing well, seemingly having regained some of the purpose from the Hyde and Gainsborough matches, and it was Jason Lee who put the next effort well over the crossbar.  Boston were defending well too; Fairclough, White, Austin and Jelleyman performing well as a unit.  Stalybridge were limited to the odd chance from set pieces but had the ball in the back of the net anyway, the goal ruled out for a push in the build up.  Any opportunities the home strikers did get were well mopped up by Bazza.

Stalybridge: the best team United have faced this season.

Boston were still creating and Jason Lee was in the thick of it.  Inadvertently blocking a shot on goal before heading on target from a Semple cross.  Stalybridge then exploited the only weakness in the otherwise strong United back-line; pace.  One quick break, one pull back and one neat finish saw Bazza picking the ball out of his net.  Gnahoua with the finish to make it 1-0 at half-time.

United continued to put in a good performance after the break.  The Pilgrims were searching for the equaliser and as the half wore on the formation became more and more attacking.  Hall, the other Fairclough and the reserves top scorer, Tony Edwards, were all introduced.  Stalybridge were looking to exploit the gaps left by the Pilgrims and the introduction of Craig Hobson was causing the pace-less centre-backs trouble.  Hobson having put one into the side-netting already, was taken clean out by White.  The resulting free-kick was put well over.

The Pilgrims fail to hit the target, repeatedly.

With ten minutes left, Boston failed to clear their lines following a corner.  The ball was arrowed in at pace and bounced off the leg of Hobson into the net.  Boston were soon back on the attack, a gorgeous ball into the box from Tony Edwards flew across the face of the net.  A touch, anything, on it and Boston would've been back in the game.  Unfortunately for United neither Hall or Newsham could get there in time.  Austin was denied by the 'keeper following a Milnes free-kick as the Boston chances racked up.

Semple, following Edwards lead, swang a great ball in for Newsham but the 'keeper was on hand to tip the ball out.  Stalybridge broke from the resulting corner.  Marsh outpaced the defenders and crossed to Hobson who finished the Pilgrims off in injury time.  So another good performance from United went unrewarded.  The defence is looking much stronger but the Pilgrims still don't seem to be able to put the ball away with any regularity.

Next up: Boston United Youth host Burnley in the third round proper of the FA Youth Cup.