Athletic secure draw at high-flying Boston
Boro more than matched play-off chasing Boston United as the sides played out an exciting and competitive 0-0 draw on a lovely afternoon at the impressive Jakeman’s Community Stadium.
The game kicked-off in glorious sunshine, with the noisy band of Boro supporters, many in fancy dress, contributing to a carnival atmosphere, and despite the lack of goals there was plenty of action to keep the bumper crowd entertained.
Boston began brightly, and the outstanding Bailey Gooda twice made important interventions, kicking clear when ex-Boro striker Jacob Hazel burst into the area, then blocking a long-range strike from imposing centre-back Michael Bostwick.
Boro’s first attack saw Fin Barnes send over a free-kick from the left, and Bostwick headed out towards Johnson, whose volley was blocked by Tom Leak, then Mulhern laid off to Wilson, whose shot was headed away by Bostwick.
Boro’s best effort of the first half came on 21 minutes when Barnes dribbled into the area, and fired inches wide of the far post, but two minutes later Boro keeper Ryan Whitley pulled off a stunning double save, first diving low to his right to push away a fierce shot from Kelsey Mooney, then he reacted quickly when the lively Hazel fired the rebound towards the bottom left corner, again diving to tip the ball clear. Boston again went close, when Lucien Mahovo sent a ball across the goal mouth, and Mooney slid in, but directed his shot wide of the back post. A timely Gooda tackle halted the run of Hazel, and Dyson did well to dispossess Keziah Martin as he ran clear, then at the other end, Dom Tear’s surging run was ended by Bostwick’s strong tackle. Just before the interval Mulhern fired a 35-yard free kick into Boston’s wall.
The second half followed a similar pattern, Luca Colville was once again excellent down the left for Boro, his throughball sending Mulhern racing into the area, but another strong Bostwick challenge cleared the danger, then Mulhern fed Barnes, who fired narrowly over, and Mulhern sent a free-kick into the chest of keeper Cameron Gregory, while Hazel shot just over for Boston, and a Sam Smart ball into the goal mouth was scrambled clear by Good a.Colvil le then passed to Maloney, whose strike was charged down by Leak, and on 65 minutes Mulhern’s 25-yard shot forced a good diving save from Gregory. Dyson had a terrific game for Boro, and his longrange shot took a deflection and trickled into the keeper’s arms, then Johnson set up another shooting chance for Dyson, but Jordan Richards got back to kick clear.
B or owe re onto pin the latter stages, as central defensive duo Gooda and Will Thornton kept danger men Mooney and Jimmy Knowles in check. Johnson teed up Harry Green, who blazed his shot over, before Boro should really have gone ahead on 81 minutes. Thornton sent a terrific ball forward to Kole Hall, who did brilliantly to burst past his marker and race into the area, where he rounded keeper Gregory, but then sliced his shot wide.
The dying minutes saw Boro create further chances, Green skipped down the left and passed inside to Hall, who dinked his shot into the keeper’s arms, and Green and Maloney both got into the box, but were halted by crunching tackles from Mahovo as the game ended goalless.