FREE-KICK BY HANDY ANDI FIRES UP PILGRIMS
BOSTON booked their passage to the first round with a solitary goal from an Andi Thanoj free-kick at Keys Park.
The visitors got off to a threatening start with half a dozen corners in the opening 15 minutes. Brad Abbott from a tight angle forced a good low save from Daniel Platt.
The Pitmen weathered the opening storm and began to carve out some openings. Tom Elliott teed up Danny Glover from a free-kick, his blocked shot fell to James Hurst, who was inches wide with his strike.
Jay Rollins found himself in space in the Hednesford area, but miscued his attempted volley, the half-cleared ball was returned, forcing a decent save from Platt.
Osebi Abadaki came close to opening the scoring, shaking off a challenge before forcing Peter Crook to tip his goalbound shot over the crossbar.
Abadaki threatened again when he delivered a cross from the left for Kieran Morris, whose header went agonisingly wide of the far post.
When a Boston attack was holted by Ben Bailey on the edge of the box, Thanoj stepped up to fire the resulting free-kick past Platt to give the visitors the lead in the 37th minute.
The Pitmen came out fired up for the second half with the first attack almost earning a penalty when Martyn Woolford appeared to handle in the Boston area. Rollins found himself in space on the right sending his shot wide after an intelligent ball through from Dominic Knowles.
Tom Fry, on as a substitute just before halftime for the injured Sam Griffiths, fired just over the crossbar on the hour mark.
Crook was forced out of his area to defend the numerous Hednesford long balls as they fought to get back into the game.
With the Pitmen dominating possession and most of the play in the visitors’ half, the hosts were unable to carve out any clear cut chances for an equaliser.
With Boston using every opportunity to run down the clock, the Pitmen became increasingly frantic in search of the goal needed to keep them in the competition.
The best chance came when a superb chipped cross came in from Elliott on the right, requiring only the slightest of touches the ball evaded everyone going narrowly past the far post.
A long throw in the final moments from Ben Bailey was headed around the box by numerous players from both sides before finally being cleared.
There would be no further goalmouth action in a hard-fought encounter that sees the visitors progress to the first round proper.