Anything but easy

Boston United vs Redditch United

It's a very good job that Redditch aren't particularly good because, seemingly, neither are we.  I'm beginning to wonder if Boston will field an unchanged back four at any point during the rest of the season.  For this match Murphy was still out, Pearson and Canoville picked up injuries during the match against Guiseley on Saturday and Nyoni mysteriously seems to have thrown in the towel and buggered off back to Sheffield.  As a result the Boston back line consisted of left-back, Jelleyman (our only first choice defender) starting at centre-back alongside bench warmer Simon Ashton.  The full-back positions were inhabited by Coleman and Cullingworth.  Semple and Sleath were on the wings and the central midfield partnership of Church and Clarke was reformed.  Davidson and Weir-Daley started in an unchanged front line.

Highlight of the night: the Town End's
 "you're not singing anymore"
to the lone Redditch fan.

Redditch are a much changed team since we spanked them 9-0 at their place earlier this year, in fact only one Redditch midfielder present took part in that game.  Not changed enough to get off the bottom of the table though.  This should be easy then, surely?  It would be if Boston weren't in such a woeful run of form.  The results haven't been terrible but the performances are awful and the fear is that getting mullered by a good team is just around the corner.  However, Boston dominated possession from the start.  Davidson tested the Redditch 'keeper early on while defensive blocks were required to keep out a couple of well struck shots from Church.

Boston were in front soon after when Dave Plowright, of Southport drop-ball fame*, played a good advantage after a Redditch defender handled on the edge of the box; Weir-Daley skipped through and fired into the back of the net.  Haystead was spending the majority of the match on his own in the Boston half.  Despite this Redditch were still creating the odd chance on the break which the Pilgrims' 'keeper and defenders were alert to shut out.  Semple was beginning to look dangerous creating chances for himself with a Davidson header bouncing off him and wide before he spanked his own shot wide.  This danger was short lived, however, as Semple pulled up feeling his hamstring just before the end of the first half.  1-0 at half time but no-where near a good performance.

The second half proved to be even worse.  Yates came on to replace Semple and might as well not have bothered, I barely remember him even touching the ball.  This was compounded as Cullingworth seemingly didn't fancy leaving the dressing room and probably went to get some chips from Eagle's, that's what I assume anyway as I didn't see him second half either.  Just after the restart the Pilgrims had their only real chance of the half.  Weir-Daley latching on to some rare good play from Danny Davidson.  The shot was dealt with easily by Dormand in the Redditch sticks.  Boston were still seeing plenty of the ball and most of the play was taking place in the Redditch half but they were really struggling to create anything.  Redditch adopted the tactic of winning the headers and second balls before belting it over the top to Haystead only for him to start the process all over again.  Abysmal.  Newsham replaced Weir-Daley with half an hour remaining, presumably to rest Spence ahead of the game on Saturday.

Haystead all alone in the Boston half.

The law of large numbers ensured that Redditch had a few chances and the Pilgrims were lucky to get away without conceding when McKenzie slotted a ball across the face of goal.  There was an even bigger scare to come.  993 Boston fans and the lone Redditch fan all held their breath as Redditch's Gavin Hurren hit the inside of Haystead's right hand post before the rebound was lashed wide.  Boston were still dominating possession but Redditch were unfortunate not to take advantage of their chances.

Hunter was brought on with five minutes to go.  In those five minutes he claimed my man of the match award for putting in more effort than the rest of the team combined.  Hunter even managed to muster a few shots, all off target but shots none the less.  McKenzie threatened again with a free header at the back post which he couldn't control.  Redditch finished the game on a high note as their 'keeper, Dormand, came forward for a corner; won the header and set up penalty claims which were, fortunately for the Pilgrims, waved away.

I can't remember seeing Boston play this badly and still win.  The performances have been dropping for a long time, since half way through the run of ten games without conceding in fact.  During that run the central midfielders stopped creating chances and dropped deep to reinforce the back line; they haven't come back since.  This is all well and good when the team is nicking the odd goal here and there to win one nil.  The problem at the moment is that the goals have mostly dried up and the defence is changing so often, due to the injuries, that we are leaking one or two more at the back.  It's a fine line between wining 1-0 and losing 1-0.  Luckily in this game Redditch were unable to test the Pilgrims defence to breaking point.  Redditch weren't quite good enough but I would suggest that most other teams in the league will be.

Abject as the performance was three points are three points and the Pilgrims move up to fourth.

Next up: Boston visit Bower Field to play Stalybridge Celtic.

*Dave Plowright's drop-ball incident; 1st December 2007, Boston United vs Southport.  The score was 1-1 with goals from Holland (proving he can score for anyone at York St. except Boston) and Leabon cancelling each other out.  There were a couple of minutes remaining when Southport's Tony Gray went down like a sack of tates.  Plowright stopped play so that Gray could receive treatment.  Following the treatment a drop-ball was given and after a discussion between the ref and the players it was decided that Boston wouldn't contest the ball and Noon could just knock it out for a Pilgrims goal kick.  The Boston players walked away and there was a brief exchange between Plowright and Noon at which point Noon took the ball and ran towards the Boston goal before being brought down by Crane on the edge of the box.  The resulting free-kick was headed in by Lee and the match finished 2-1 to Southport much to the disgust of the Boston support.

If I see one more 'Cloud Nine' headline, I swear to God...

Redditch United vs Boston United

It's steeper than it looks, all right!

I had a bad feeling about this trip for a day or two before the game.  Redditch United away should be a win but I had the feeling it might come back to bite us after a good start to the season.  The Reds had lost their first two games, 2-0 away at Stalybridge and then a 5-1 defeat against Alfreton on home soil at the Valley Stadium.  The trip was ok with the only delay being between Leicester and Birmingham New Street but then I can't remember the last time I did that route on the train and didn't encounter problems.  I arrived at Redditch station at two-ish and made the very short walk to the ground.  There is a long, downhill driveway leading to the ground.  It's pretty steep, especially for us fenlanders, which whilst nice on the way in makes walking out of the ground after the game a bit of a pain.

Redditch were trying to achieve an attendance of 777 for this game which was optimistic in spite of Boston's strong start to the year.  As a supporters trust owned club Redditch have very little debt (£15k) for a non-league club.  It is refreshing to see a club being run in the correct fashion especially when so many others aren't.  Sadly this good financial sense has seen Redditch lose a lot of their better players to bigger clubs.

Making my way through the turnstile I was immediately accosted by young ladies selling programmes.  A pleasant change after the debacle at Hinckley.  A good pint of Banks' beer or two was much appreciated pre-game whilst socializing with a few Pilgrims I hadn't seen since the disaster of the Marine trip at the end of last season.  The Redditch fans had put on free food for the Boston support in a wonderful gesture.  Unfortunately the attendance wasn't quite the 777 hoped for as 456 people turned out on a sunny afternoon in Worcestershire.

The Boston support takes over one end of the Valley Stadium.

The Redditch support were vocalizing their support well (even if they were mostly Man United songs) as we moved to the terrace for kick-off.  Boston were starting with the same line-up used against Hinckley with the only difference being the inclusion of Spencer Weir-Daley on the bench.  Boston went ahead on four minutes, terrible defending and the 'keeper flying out of his goal into no man's land before making a real hash of his clearance enabled Danny Davidson to lob the ball into an empty net from thirty yards.  Good start that and it got better.  The Pilgrims were absolutely battering The Red's back line and went close two or three times before a Yates set piece was headed home by a seemingly unmarked Shaun Pearson sixteen minutes in.  A few minutes later and Pearson got his second, a lovely finish from a fairly tight angle following a long throw.  The Redditch 'keeper Meredith should have done much better, not for the first or last time during the afternoon.  Church made it four with ten minutes of the half remaining after some good work from Davidson to put the ball in.  Yes; Davidson, work and good all in the same sentence there.  There was still time for a slightly injured Hunter to make it 5-0 before the break before being replaced by Weir-Daley.  Redditch cleared one off the line to end the half.  5-0 up with only forty-five minutes gone.  I haven't seen that happen, well, ever.

Church heads home the Pilgrims' fourth. What the hell is their 'keeper doing?

A quick beer and a nice chat with a couple of Redditch fans as the break passed quickly.  I was reliably informed that the Redditch first choice 'keeper was sold to Kidderminster shortly before the start of the season, at this rate they really need a replacement smart-ish.  The Boston fans switched to the temporary stand after the break but this killed the atmosphere and so some of us moved down the side next to the still vocal Reds support.  Not, though, before we'd seen Church head home his second and Boston's sixth following yet another poorly defended set piece.  Five or Six minutes later and Weir-Daley poked home after a scramble in the box.  That's seven, just in case you were losing count.  Church inadvertently cleared off the Redditch goal line saving them from an eighth.  This was the last chance Boston had for almost twenty minutes during which McKeown actually had to make a save.  With five minutes left the Pilgrims still had time to add a further two goals to the tally.  Davidson waltzing through the Redditch defence with some wonderful play before slotting home.  Semple matched this quality with an exquisite curling drive from over twenty yards to finish the game off.

The Redditch fans, still singing at full time.

9-0.  That's NINE.  The Redditch 'keeper was responsible for at least four, possibly five of those goals.  He wasn't helped by some shocking defending and a seeming aversion to marking throughout the Redditch back line as well.  I have a massive amount of respect for the Redditch supporters who never shut up at any point in the game.  Their stewards were top notch as well, friendly and really into their football.  Top bunch of people who took the day in good humour.  I'd like to think our fans would be so gracious following a drubbing but somehow I doubt it.  If you're reading this Mr Newton, reduced entry for Redditch fans at York St. at the end of November please!

Passionate about goalkeeping indeed.

We played well and 9-0 is a record away win in the B.S.B Conf. North but I don't think we should get carried away.  Redditch were a poor team and while the result sends a message it is still only three points.  I just hope it doesn't all come crashing down against Nuneaton on Tuesday night.  I have a feeling it will but then we all know how accurate my feelings are.  One sour note to the day came, perhaps unsurprisingly, on the Birmingham New Street to Leicester train where some 'youths' from Birmingham thought it would be terribly funny to smash one of the windows on my train with a brick.  No one was hurt and it didn't manage to spoil my day one bit.