Well that was dodgy

AFC Telford United vs Boston United

OK, I'll admit it.  I got my train times a little wrong as I rolled through Telford Central station an hour early.  It was packed with police who felt the need to check the train, there must have been a big game going on or something.  The train rattled on and arrived at Wellington, the station closest to the ground, at mid-day.  There were police in abundance along with riot vans near the station and moving into the town there were more police everywhere!  Cars patrolled the streets and dog units were dotted around here and there.  It was becoming apparent this might be for the Boston after all...

Some villages were definitely sans their idiots.

Due to my early arrival I was given the opportunity to sample some of the local beverages.  The Cock Hotel was my watering hole of choice and it had some marvellous beers, if a little pricey.  The Boston boys started to roll in and there was ample time to enjoy the beautiful weather before moving on to the ground.  Coming out of the Hotel the first signs of trouble were encountered.  Some of the village people who'd been chucked out of York St were leaning over a pub fence, words were exchanged and the first glasses and bottles of the day were hurled.  Only the swift intervention of the police prevented more than one punch being thrown as the Telford lot fell out of the pub after the Boston fans.

The teams walk out.

Telford dearly, dearly want to be a professional Football League club but if they can't even print enough programmes then they have a long way to go.  Apparently Telford were expecting around 100 Pilgrims so the 240 (officially, there looked more in reality) who turned out must have come as a bit of a surprise.  The Pilgrims support was superb throughout and there was plenty of vocal backing from the outset, putting Telford's 94 from the return leg to shame.  The teams came out, the Pilgrims making one change with Lawrie Dudfield claiming his first start up front as Boyes was out following a minor (hopefully) car accident.  Get well soon, Adam!

The game started cautiously with neither team really attacking the other.  Telford had the odd chance but they were invariably off target.  Half an hour in and Boston went ahead in the most familiar of ways.  Yates swinging in a corner for Pearson to bullet home his tenth of the season from a few yards out.  The Boston faithful duly went absolutely mental.  Both Semple and Yates had been superb and each had chances before the break.  They couldn't hit the target, however, as the Pilgrims teased the Telford fans for letting their club die.

Lines-person, no Andy Grey comments from this author!

Good work by Dudfield gave Semple another opportunity just after the break but again the winger couldn't hit the target.  Telford threw on substitutes but it was Boston who were having the better of the chances.  Only some brilliant defending kept Weir-Daley out and Yates tamely hit a poor shot straight at the 'keeper from a good position.  Davidson came on for Dudfield with 20 minutes left as the Pilgrims saw out the remainder of the half to claim a fantastic three points.  Not a classic for the neutral but I doubt there were many of those amongst the 2124 at the New Bucks Head.

A mutual applause.

The trip back to the station was to prove dodgy to say the least.  Some poor stewarding allowed Telford fans right up to the exit for the away fans.  Bottles, again, were hurled and more punches thrown as the stewards struggled to control things.  Eventually the stewards managed to escort the Boston fans away from the ground.  Just far enough to see the police nicking the wrong Bucks fans...  I must have been one of the only people in the country with their coat done all the way up as I negotiated the back roads to the station, avoiding some fairly hostile Telford fans on the main routes.

The station brought fresh joys.  As usual there were police everywhere but the place they were needed.  The Boston fans on the platform ended up politely chatting to one of the bottle throwers from earlier.  Turns out he was the lad thrown out of York St for getting in the home end.  He may have been a little prone to hyperbole, telling us how he was singing Telford songs in the Boston end at our place.  He also informed us that the Telford support at Nuneaton was "like a Premier League club but with a bigger 'firm'".  Right...  Pulling out of Wellington I not only contemplated my calves burning from all the bouncing in the stands, but the prospect of a play-off tie in Telford.  I won't be wearing my shirt next time round, that's for sure!

Next up: Hyde FC at York St.

At least we played well!

Boston United vs AFC Telford United

Telford and Solihull Moors were the only two clubs in the league that the Pilgrims hadn't already faced.  There were no illusions that this was going to be an easy game though.  Telford started the day in fifth only a point behind second placed Boston and with a game in hand.  They reportedly had the best player in the league and were supposedly bringing 400-600 supporters across the country to south Lincolnshire.  It was then, a little disappointing to look up and see a Town End with only 94 people bolstering attendance to 1,610, I say people but in a lot of cases it looked more like the cast of Farmers Weekly.  What a waste of Town End.

More flags than fans, what a waste of Town End.

Boston, unchanged from the glorious midweek victory at Tinpot Trinity, were superb in the opening stages and most of the game took place in the Telford half.  Yates has turned in some of his best performances in the free role behind the strikers and both he and Weir-Daley were looking lively again.  The Telford defence were standing strong with ten men behind the ball; the Pilgrims were limited to shooting from range.  Ryan Young, the Telford 'keeper, easily mopped up ranged efforts from Weir-Daley and Boyes.  Telford launched their first attack of the game on 23 minutes.  The beautiful whipped cross wasn't closed down and Andy Brown eluded his marker to glance home a really well taken goal, against the run of play.  A shaken Pilgrims defence nearly conceded a second a few minutes later as a poor free-kick was given away in a dangerous position.  Haystead did really well to tip the ball around the post.  Boston tried to muster a response through Boyes but his header was driven just over the bar.

The Pilgrims came flying out of the blocks in the second half but Telford's resolute defending made things tough for Boston.  Despite all the Pilgrim's pressure it was Telford who had the first chance of the second period, the shot going just wide.  Boston were soon back on the attack though and a beautiful move almost crated a goal.  It was the Pilgrims turn to play long-ball with Haystead finding Yates who managed to move the ball onto the excellent Boyes.  Boyes held the ball up really well and succeeded in laying-off right into the path of Church who slammed a driven shot just wide.  The Pilgrims weren't the only ones struggling to create, with the Boston defence limiting Telford's chances at the far end.  The "best player in the league", wearing number seven for them, spent a lot of time falling over and spent most of the game in Cullingworth's pocket; not what I'd call scintillating play.

Ryan Young keeps Telford in front.

With 20 minutes to go, Boston were awarded their first penalty in the league this season; given for a stonewall handball in the box.  As soon as we were given the penalty I had a feeling we'd miss it.  With no penalties in the league so far, in a big game and in front of the away fans I wasn't confident that Danny Sleath would convert it.  Seemingly neither was he as he didn't go for power and he didn't really go for placement either.  Ryan Young guessed correctly and pulled off a simple save.  Following this the Boston heads seemed to drop and that feeling that it wasn't going to be our day crept in.  All three substitutions were made over the next ten minutes but they were all like for like: Hunter, Davidson and Semple on for Weir-Daley, Boyes and Yates respectively.  There was no change to the system that would allow Boston to get in behind the Telford back-line and cause them problems.  In the end Telford managed to defend comfortably, Boston playing the ball about in front of them for the remainder of the game.

With a performance like that Boston would beat most teams in this league.  Telford were superb in defence and really well organised, not allowing the Pilgrims many chances.  The performance is still very pleasing in-spite of the result and strangely I feel happier in this defeat than I did beating Redditch 1-0 a few weeks back.  If we can build on this and play like that for the rest of the season then we'll be absolutely fine.

There were a few players moving out of the club following the game:

- Aaron Butcher was released, he was never really good enough for this level for me.  He will probably do well learning his trade a few leagues down as he's only young.

- Simon Ashton has gone back on loan to Stamford for the rest of the season to get some first team experience.

- Rory Coleman has gone back to Scunthorpe so he can handle the ball in the box for them instead of us

- Shane Clarke has left the club to go on trial with an M.L.S. club!  How poor must the standard be in America?

So no big losses then and hopefully some money freed up to get a good quality play-maker or someone who likes a challenge in the midfield.

Next up: Stalybridge Celtic away on Tuesday but I'm not doing that one (coverage on United Live) so the next one for me is Workington away.