Match report

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Boston 1 Swansea City 1

Match report by James White - Pictures supplied by Dai Smith

Well, a 8 hour round trip from Weston super Mare resulted in an immense amount of frustration as we failed to take 3 points from a game that we should so clearly have won.

I have been to 20 or so games this season, but i have not seen one yet when we have created/had so many clear cut chances but yet failed to take 99% of them and therefore come away with a draw.

The crowd for the game was miserable (mainly due to Intl Footie) but around 120 jacks braved the cold to stand on the York street terrace.

We continued to boss the game, although as time wore on, Boston got more and more involved. Yet again, we had a countless amount of chances to make the game safe. Trundle had 2 excellent chances, (one a curler and the other a powerful drive) and the keeper made good saves on both occasions. Martinez had a powerful shot saved, Maylett and Robinson both had runs on goal and shot narrowly past the post.

We looked inventive and lively in the final 3rd of the pitch (much due to the prompting of Britton). Up front, Trundle was working hard, but I had the impression that he has lost some of his spark. Its as if he needs the Camera's and Newspapers to get him going. I think that Flynn needs to tell him that the only way he will make it to the higher leagues that he wants is to break Cyril Pearce's record and get us into the playoffs.

As the game moved on, it became obvious that we would do what we normally do and concede a soft goal. After another chance when Robbinson dribbled into the area, crossed and one of their defenders nearly put the ball in their own goal, Boston went up the right hand side of the pitch, crossed the ball in, it bobbled around and one of their strikers struck the ball into the bottom hand corner of the net.

The level of frustration that I and other jacks felt was amazing, as we all knew it was coming, but knew that any goal they scored should not have mattered at all.

We had around 6 minutes to try and get the winner but barring a couple of corners (see below) we did not get any better chances and in the end, were happy with a point.

Therefore, we walked away, happy in some respects that we had a point but knowing that it should have been 3. The positives from the game were that we made the chances and looked a class above Boston when we passed the ball. The negatives are that we cannot afford to drop more points if the play offs are to happen.

A couple of points for me on the game and how we are doing. Why do we never ever look like scoring from set pieces (direct free kicks aside). I would like to know what the players work on at the training ground, because we never look like scoring (and we had about 10 corners i think last night). Secondly, we have to find someone that can play alongside Trundle. Nugent just does not give us the mobility and coverage that we need there.

My player ratings were

Freestone 6 - He had bugger all to do all evening barring one save from a header. However, his kicking was awful
Byrne 6 - He is starting to add some further value to the team and work with the others, but he still puts others in dangers with silly passes
Tate 8 - He looked composed and a class above their forwards. He gets up well and snuffs out danger on the floor. He will become an excellent signing for us
O'Leary 6 - Did nothing much in the first half before coming off at half time
Hylton 7 - He was caught out of position a few times, but his strength, tackling, forward runs and commitment make him a threat. I would like to see him on the left wing, with Howard as a left back
Maylett 7 - A good game. Looked fitter and started to take people on more. He was always a good outlet for the centre midfield. He needs to work on his crossing though
Martinez 7 - A solid performance. He still tries to pass the ball out of defence and he got us into a couple of tricky situations a few times. However, he still passes the ball really well and seems to compose the rest of the team
Britton 9 - Our best player by a mile. He has energy, wonderful feet, a committment to the cause and the trickery to make defences worried. We need the others to get to his level and then we would be unbeatable!!
Robinson 7 - Another solid performance from Robbo. He gives us hope every time he picks the ball up on the edge of the area. Worked hard up and down the left. Did nothing special but was still consistent as ever
Trundle 6 - An average performance. You can tell that opposing defences focus in on Lee (which creates space for the others) and that makes it tough for him. He ran the channels well and had 3 or 4 chances, but just did not look 100% up for it today.
Nugent 5 - We need another striker and quick. Wins little in the air and is just not mobile/quick enough around the box.

Subs -

Jones 7 - Had a solid game and looked very composed in the centre. I think that this is his best position

Overall 7 - We looked a good side tonight and if we had someone who could finish then we would have won. The playoffs are ours for the taking but we have to start winning games. The other teams near the playoff's will be nervous about us if we start to get close to them, but if we don't win games that are our's for the taking, then its Div 3 footie again next year

The Jackarmy marches onto Aggborough on Sat. Here's hoping for 3 points!!

Boston 1 Swansea City 1

Match report by Richard Lillicrap

The main point of the trip to Boston for me was to exorcise the ghost of Cus must pass. The corresponding fixture last season was Cusack's last at Swansea, we lost 1-0 and went to 92nd for the first time in our history. On that occasion Boston were probably the worst side I'd ever seen in Div 3 but were still better than us. 45 miles at 12 mph and 80 miles at 80 got me there about 5 mins after kick off. 139 at Boston was a commendable turnout for a wet Wednesday night in deepest Lincs. The away terrace was behind Roger's goal in the first half. Most of it is a blur now. My general impression was that the football was of a far higher quality than last year from both sides and Swansea were much the superior. Leon was my MoM and looked like his old self. A number of the players had FA Cup hangovers. Robinson was quieter (forgivably) but was still able to create at least 3 outstanding chances in the second half. Trundle (notably) had completely lost his touch and was not able to contribute much. Martinez was more like his old self too and broke up many Boston moves.

Anyway, back to the action. It was a pretty open game. Chances at both ends throughout the 1st half. It was difficult to work out why we weren't ahead (the Boston goal was too far away to make much out) but chance after chance was being spurned. Boston had some chances too and our defence still needs sorting out. Hylton had a reasonable game but was sometimes found wandering around at Centre Half when the ball was whipped out to their right wing. I was on my way for a much needed leek when I was nearly felled by a howitzer free kick from Boston's No 25. A full stretch airborne Rog was nearly there but not quite as it faded an inch (at most) past the far post.

Much relieved, I watched us pile on the pressure and a ball from the right (presumably Maylett) found it's way across the box and Leon passed it coolly into the left corner of the net. Yippee - we're on our way. Chances came and went with all of us saying that a second was essential to sew it up.

The second half took the pattern of the first. Stu Jones came on for O'Leary (one blinding late block to his credit) so presumably O'L had a knock. That made for yet another new defensive set up. Loads of Swans pressure - but often missing the final touch. Nugent did his best but was unconvincing today. So our play was coming from Leon and Martinez in midfield with Maylett and Robinson on the flanks (tho' Robinson mostly seemed to be well in from the touchline). And to be fair there was some great football in patches. A loose ball fell to Martinez 22 yards out which he fair thrashed into the goal only for it to bounce out from the startled keeper's middle bits. A foot either side and that would have been it. [For those interested the keeper was the mouthy bald short geezer, Bastock. As someone pointed out, he was standing on the goal line when Trundle chipped him from 25yds in our 3 - 0 win at the Vetch].

Maylett was set free on the right but, from a better position, repeated his Saturday effort by sending it wide of the post. Another scramble fell to Robinson who grazed the post from 15 yards. A cross whipped in by Maylett was met by a combination of the full back and Nugent's outstretched leg but went agonisingly wide from 2 yards. And so it went on.

The ineffectiveness of Trudle and Nugent was now beginning to tell. Boston were getting back in the game and the ball was coming back too quickly. With Thommo and Pritchard on the bench it cried out for fresh legs just to nullify any idea that Boston might have of getting back into it. But no. Presumably there was a reason because it was screamingly obvious from the terrace (not that I claim any managerial credentials) that we were slowly 'losing' it. Boston had by now (10 - 15 mins left) thrown on their 3rd sub so were throwing the kitchen sink at it - more a mop and bucket in their case - but it was having an effect. Roger mae a magnificent save to tip a short range header onto and over the bar. And from another cross the Boston sub scored in much the same way as Leon did but in the right hand corner. Two men and a dog went wild in the home stand (no offence meant to any readers from Boston). And that was that. All very predictable.

A criminal waste of two points but in other respects a good performance - a combination of the recent shambles with dobs of the early season magic mixed in. If the boys can reduce the shambles bit and increase the dobs bit we may yet make it. But we must now learn the winning habit. Oxford would have probably played a lot worse and won 2 - 0. So let's not leave knackered and ineffective players on the pitch when we have fresh legs on the bench.

The ghost of Cus must pass is partly exorcised but 3 points at Kidderminster is now essential to get the Flynn show back on the road.

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