Pilgrims deliver KO blow to the Iron – now for Brackley Town
BOSTON United booked their place in the National League North play-off final with a dramatic victory on penalties over Scunthorpe United.
The Pilgrims, fresh from their 5-4 shootout win at Alfreton Town on Tuesday, repeated the feat at Scunthorpe United following another goalless draw.
Michael Bostwick, Zak Mills, Jacob Hazel and Deji Sotona all scored from the spot, and although Keaton Ward was denied by ex-Pilgrim Ross Fitzsimons, Jordan Richards stepped up to score – with Cameron Gregory’s saves to deny Ross Barrows and Liam McAlinden proving decisive.
Manager Ian Culverhouse opted to name an unchanged 16-man squad. Alongside Fitzsimons, fellow ex-Pilgrim Danny Elliott was on the Iron bench.
The first proper chance fell to Boston just over 20 minutes into the game through Jimmy Knowles, who had ended the season in great scoring form but he could not get his strike at an angle past Fitzsimons in the Scunthorpe goal.
Scunthorpe wanted a penalty just after the half-time interval for Richards’ tangle with Alfie Beestin, but referee Zac Kennard-Kettle was unmoved despite appeals from the players and the home crowd.
Dylan Hill flashed an effort over the crossbar following Jai Rowe’s cutback, and Knowles tested Fitzsimons again past the hour mark, both before Brad Nicholson, produced a sublime block at the other end to deny a near-certain goal for Danny Whitehall and the home side.
Richards saw an effort blocked on the line by Barrows, while Fitzsimons turned behind a low drive from Knowles as United sensed a famous away win.
Scunthorpe grew stronger as the game moved towards extra time, with Gregory denying Roberts with a great save in the 72nd minute before Nicholson defended well again to stop Roberts again, who was on the end of Whitehall’s unselfish assist.
As is often the case in these kinds of games, extra-time did not provide much in the way of goalmouth action, with both teams fading physically and not wanting to give much away with penalties on offer. Boston had drawn both games with the Iron during the league campaign, and another 120 minutes of football at the Attis Arena could not separate the two sides in an intense play-off encounter.
Having had that previous shootout experience in the previous round, Boston showed greater mettle to pull through and reach a third National League North promotion final inside four completed seasons.
The Pilgrims will go away from home for a third time in this play-off run for the final – this time at Brackley Town – desperate to secure promotion to the highest level of non-league.