Revenge is sweet, sort of.

Boston United vs Worcester City

Welcome back, Bazza, you LEGEND!

Worcester City are something of a bogey team for the Pilgrims with United failing to record a win in the last four attempts.  In fact Boston haven't won against City for eleven years.  Worcester have knocked the Pilgrims out of the FA Cup and beaten United away in the league in this season alone.  Worcester are a big, strong team, for that you may as well read cheats.  They are one of the dirtiest teams I have ever seen in fact.  So I wasn't holding out much hope for the new management's home début.  There were a couple of changes to the Boston line-up with player manager Canoville picking himself at right back ahead of Cullingworth, Jelleyman starting at left back and club legend Paul Bastock standing in for the injured Haystead.  Another new, old player was on the bench in the form of Lawrie Dudfield, I remember him having more hair...

The Pilgrims were out of the blocks quick.  They seem to have a new found impetus with Lee and Canners as the gaffers which bodes well for the run in.  There were early chances for United to go in front as the pressure was piled on Worcester from the off.  Canoville, marauding down the right, spanked in a great cross which was planted firmly over the bar by Weir-Daley.  Weir-Daley turned provider a few minutes later as Asa Charlton nearly put the ball through his own net while clearing.

Cheerio, Chubs.

16 minutes in and the match to a turn for the decidedly odd.  During a break in play the assistant referee on the far side started flagging manically.  The ref ran over to talk to him to find out what the hell was going on as no-one seemed to know.  Pearson and City's chubby striker were having a friendly chat and seemed to be making up but no-one was appealing for anything.  The referee having conferred with his linesman ran back onto the pitch and promptly sent the aforementioned portly striker off.  Pearson seemed to indicate a head-butt after the fact but I don't think there could have been much in it if no-one appealed.

The angriest ginger in the land.

Boston went back on the attack immediately and only some good goal keeping denied Church.  Worcester did manage one shot, from distance, before the Pilgrims really cranked up the pressure.  City tried to respond but the bookings were starting to mount as they threw in some really poor challenges.  Paul Bastock must have felt lonely, as every other player spent the remainder of the first period in the Worcester half.  Boyes was denied and then Yates and Weir-Daley saw efforts fly narrowly over in quick succession.

Worcester were scrambling as the Pilgrims, with the wind at their backs, piled forward.  The next corner saw a Pearson header scraped off the line.  The excellent Canoville was really causing problems down the right and his shot was blocked by Charlton in the City defence.  It was backs to the wall stuff for Worcester as Pearson, Church and Austin all had shots blocked in a packed penalty area.  United couldn't break through but it wasn't for lack of trying!

Davidson made an appearance after the break, replacing Boyes.  The Pilgrims, like Boyes, never really came out of the dressing room at the start of the second half; United really struggled to get the ball down and play.  Worcester were unlucky not to take advantage of this when, through on goal, their striker inexplicably smashed the ball wide from a tight-ish angle.  Boston still weren't playing well but managed to take the lead in the 54th minute anyway.  A corner swung in from Yates; some good work by Davidson, blocking the defender, left Pearson free to bullet home a header.  After the first half performance it was what Boston deserved.

The Pilgrims attack the Town End

The Pilgrims nearly scored again minutes later when a brilliant overhead effort from Weir-Daley went just wide into the Town End.  Clarke, returning to the squad after his MLS trial, and Newsham were introduced in place of Sleath and Yates respectively.  There was only one more chance left in the game for Boston but the superb Weir-Daley, who had beaten several City defenders with some fancy footwork earlier in the half, could only head over the bar.  A wound up Worcester searched for an equaliser after Church foolishly gave away a free kick in a good position but the shot didn't test, a probably quite bored, Bazza at all.  Boston's composed back line saw the game out and claimed a valuable three points as the race to the play-offs tightens up.  Boston probably should've made more of their chances but a good performance, a win and a clean sheet will do at this time of year.

Next up: Boston visit Shropshire in a top of the table clash with AFC Telford United.

That wasn't fun.

Worcester City vs Boston United

I don't even know where to begin with this one.  Boston don't seem to be very good at playing football recently. Which, for a football team, presents a few issues.  The performances simply aren't there and it's starting to feel a lot like we're looking back and trying to defend the play-off spot rather than pushing on and trying to win the league.  I know it would take a monumental slip up from the teams above us to win it but that's the mentality we should have.  Looking forward, not back.  The injury problems clearly haven't helped, the team has been changing almost daily, making it difficult to get into a rhythm and string some results together.  Maybe we're a bit lightweight, maybe the team isn't up for the fight.  If that's true then something has changed because we always used to be able to go to tough places and grind out results.  Maybe teams in this league have us sussed.  Maybe we just aren't good enough.

The railway shed.

Worcester away.  Worcester, the team who dumped us out of the FA Cup then celebrated like they'd won it.  A bit of payback then, you'd think.  Well that's what we thought anyway, as we strolled through the back roads to St. George's Lane.  To say that St. George's Lane has character would be an understatement.  That isn't to say it's a good ground, just an interesting one.  There is a sizeable main-stand down the turnstiles side of the pitch which provides seating for a good proportion of the crowd.  The left hand end is the funnel end.  This tapered bit of terracing is accessed by walking around the back of the little cottage in which the changing rooms are situated.  The right hand end is the mountain end.  This end is raised so far above pitch level that if someone forgets their oxygen tanks on the terrace they'll have to call mountain rescue in.  On the side opposite the main-stand there is the engine shed, which I assume used to be part of some industrial railway complex, and a stretch of largely empty open terracing.  Like I said, character.

Worcester might not be in this ground for much longer, if what we were told is correct.  They might not be in business for that matter.  Initially Worcester were going to sell their ground for £7,000,000 and use the cash to pay off their £1,000,000 debt, leaving £6,000,000 for building them a new ground.  It's taken them that long to decide what they are doing that the debt has risen by £600,000 and the ground is now worth up to £5,000,000 less.  I know maths isn't my strong point on a Sunday morning, but that doesn't leave very much left to build a new ground over the next two or three years.  With Redditch having reduced their playing budget to zero this week and their management having gone, it looks like tough times ahead for clubs in that area.

There was a game, I just don't want to talk about it.

You may have noticed I haven't actually talked about the game yet.  That's largely because I don't know what to say.  Boston made four changes with Canoville and Pearson returning from injury to bolster the defence and Yates starting on the wing, hoping to supply the new lad, Boyes, with some ammunition.  Boyes comes highly recommended and has a brilliant scoring record, having scored two goals in the last 4.5 billion years or something.  Because, with all these defensive injuries, a striker is what we really needed.  

Not the best pitch in the world.

The early action set the tempo of the game.  Boston would try to play some nice stuff before being muscled off the ball (sometimes fairly!) only for Worcester to smash it long to their strikers.  The referee proved that he couldn't be relied on to ensure fairness when he didn't even book Matt Birley who'd thrown Cullingworth to the floor.  Worcester were flying into the tackles and the ref was giving nothing.  Despite this there were the odd chances for both teams with Yates tamely chipping a shot into the Worcester 'keepers arms and Birley having two bites of the cherry at the other end.  Worcester were in luck though, the referee handing them a penalty half-way through the second period.  The penalty was given for handball on the line and Pearson was booked.  So Pearson handled it then?  No.  Pearson got booked for asking the referee who had handled it, the ref didn't know.  The penalty was dispatched by Glover to make it 1-0 to Worcester.  There was still time for Worcester to hit the crossbar and Coleman to shank the ball wide for the Pilgrims before half time.  There was also time for a passing Worcester fan to ask "Do you lot always play this dirty? Your team are a bunch of f***ing animals!" which is a bit rich coming from them really.

Erm, what advertising boards?

The second half was better in that the Pilgrims made two chances of note rather than the one in the first half.  There were half-chances though and blocks denied a labouring Weir-Daley and Danny Sleath.  An easy save from the 'keeper was required to shut out Church.  The main talking point of the second period was the Worcester players and the referee.  The Worcester number two, feeling aggrieved that a decision hadn't gone his way spent a good minute or so pushing the ref and screaming in his face.  He got nothing, not a booking, not a talking to.  Nothing.  There were occasions where our players were clearly fouled but the free-kick went the other way.  Absolutely farcical refereeing from Mr John Mayhew.  The gobby number two shut up when defending corners right next to the away support though, he clearly wasn't that brave.  Ryan Clarke thought he'd have a go at the away support, mainly because he was never fit to wear our shirt when he was here.  The lazy, useless mug...

The Worcester number two tries to assault the ref
and gets away with it.

Anyway, I digress, the Pilgrims brought on Semple, Clarke and Davidson to try and switch things around with Semple almost making an immediate impact as he sent a shot just wide of the mark.  Boston were handed a lifeline when a Pearson through ball found the Worcester 'keeper confronted by Spencer Weir-Daley in no-man's-land.  The 'keeper, bizarrely decided to tip the ball up over his head whilst well outside his area and the ensuing red card was no surprise.  Unfortunately for Boston the new 'keeper managed to push the free-kick out for a corner.  Boston were pressing for an equaliser but Worcester, even a man short, still had free runners.  It was this that proved to be the Pilgrims undoing as a cross thrown into the box from wide was turned in to his own net by Clarke.  There was just time for one more shot from Clarke at the other end, which was saved well, before the Worcester celebrations began.  Anyone would think they'd won the league...

We're going to have to be a lot better than that to avoid being smashed away at Tinpot Trinity on Tuesday night.

Next up: Tinpot Trinity at their place.

Disappointing

Boston United vs Worcester City (FA Cup)

"Disappointment: (noun) The emotion felt when a strongly held expectation is not met"

Well, that was disappointing.  I've not been that disappointed since the day which shall not be mentioned at Marine.  The FA cup is really important to the managers, or so they say.  That must be why they made four changes to a winning team for the start of this match at York St.  Semple, Sleath and Weir-Daley were all dropped for Davies; Cullingworth and Jesus himself, Marc Newsham.  The other change was enforced by Peterborough who insisted that on loan 'keeper McKeown not be cup tied meaning a start for Butcher.

Early controversy abounded when the Worcester front-man Danks flew through Pearson in what some people call a 'red-card challenge'.  I've seen people sent-off for less but it would probably have been harsh and the Yellow was about right.  The 1352 at York St probably realised it was going to be one of those days about 15 minutes in the very same Danks curled the ball into the top corner from 25 yards.  I don't care what you think of Butcher; there was no way he was getting to that!  A smattering of applause from the Pilgrims support added to the jubilation of the Worcester faithful.  Five minutes later the Boston defence backed off and allowed a shot to come in; McKeown would've dealt with it easily, the much maligned Butcher didn't.  The ball squirmed past some weak goalkeeping into the bottom corner.  2-0 and we were in trouble.

'What are you DOING, Butcher?'  - a common call around York St. when he plays.

The team just wasn't gelling.  Davies in the middle looked ponderous and seemed to have the turning circle of a large oil-tanker.  This left Church to do all the running and with consequence Worcester were bossing the game and almost creating chances at will.  With a lack of service from midfield any chances that did present themselves for Boston were created by the genius of Newsham.  Newsh played some brilliant flicks and passes to get Davidson into the game.  Unfortunately Davidson was back to his usual self and a golden chance was spurned following a great save from the City 'keeper.  Danny injured himself in the challenge for the ball and was replaced by Spencer Weir-Daley.

Davidson's injury: the start of the Pilgrims comeback.

Ryan Semple came on after the break and Boston picked up a little making the odd chance or so.  The persistence was rewarded when the Worcester 'keeper tried to be clever by shielding the ball past Newsham and out of play.  The Newsh confirmed his deserved man of the match award when he duly punished the 'keeper's impertinence by nicking the ball and slotting home from a tight angle.  Sleath was brought on just after this to reunite the full first team, other than McKeown.  Boston looked much, much better despite the ridiculous linesman who appeared to have flag-Tourette's, randomly flagging for offside or a foul when nothing had happened.  Boston were absolutely battering City and it should've been two when Weir-Daley missed a brilliant chance at the back post.  Moments later it was two as Yates got on the end of a cross to stab home.  The Pilgrims even played some of the second half with ten men as Pearson was off the pitch having a head wound treated.

Commitment: Pearson back on the pitch after a lengthy treatment to his head.

The momentum was well and truly with the Pilgrims and there was a feeling around the ground that we'd go on to win this now.  This was almost the case but Weir-Daley missed yet another sitter at the back post - very unlike him.  So 2-2 and a replay, not that bad I suppose.  That's what I would've been saying if the game had finished in the 88th minute.  Last minute of normal time and Tom Thorely went clean through on goal for Worcester until last-man Jelleyman rugby tackled him.  So a red card then?  No.  I don't know how the ref. got that wrong but he did.  That was the most stonewall sending off you will ever see.  Just about sums up the official's day really.  Even though Jelleyman was lucky to remain on the pitch City still had a free kick in a good position.  The people around me had a bad feeling about this set-piece and they were not wrong.  The free-kick rebounded out to Glover who hit the inside of the post with a scuffed shot.  Butcher just stood there and watched the ball roll along the line and in.  Terrible 'keeping; NEVER PLAY FOR US AGAIN, BUTCHER!

So it finished: 3-2 and the Worcester fans and team were celebrating like they'd won the cup.  No hard feelings towards them, they may have put in a few hard tackles but they won the game thanks to a weakened, first-half Boston team and some woeful goalkeeping from Butcher: think 'Almunia with far more mistakes' and you won't be far off.  I was talking to one of their fans in the pub after the game and I can do no more than wish them the best of luck for the next round and the coming season - except against us of course!

I am, it has to be said, not impressed.  We always seem to perform badly in the FA competitions.  Add this loss to the defeats at Lowestoft and Quorn last year and the poor record starts to add up.  Whilst we are doing well in the league we really do need the money from a good cup run.  The other point brought to the fore by this game is the lack of strength in depth of our squad.  Heaven forbid we get a midfield injury and have to rely on Davies, we'd finish in the relegation zone if that were to happen!

Next up: the Pilgrims return to league action away at Vauxhall Motors.