PILGRIMS HAVE A WINNING FORMULA
PAUL Cox has spent nearly four months building resilience into Boston’s United’s talent – and he is about to discover if the penny has dropped.
Cox replaced Craig Elliott in the Pilgrims dugout in January and guided his new charges into the play-offs at the expense of Kettering Town – the club he left to take the job – on the last day of the season.
The unlikely dream continued in Thursday’s National North Play-Off Eliminator with a 2-1 win at FA Cup giantkillers Kidderminster Harriers.
Boston had the better of the first half with free-scoring Danny Elliott slamming in from close range on the stroke of half-time.
Kidderminster upped the ante in the second half with Ashley Hemmings turning and jetting between Luke Shiels and Jake Wright Snr with one stylish swivel before arcing into the top corner from the right edge of the box.
Boston had to hang tough but after Jake Wright Jnr’s cross had been turned into his own net by Alex Penny with 14 minutes to go, a place in today’s semi-final at AFC Fylde (3pm) never looked in doubt.
“It has been a bit of a ride since January but we will enjoy Fylde,” said Cox. “I questioned the desire and mentality and when I reflected after games, it was a case of how quickly I could put a mindset into this group. We have good players but we were missing certain ingredients, that was why a manager lost his job.
“It was nothing to do with ability, it was physicality, getting them that little bit fitter and sharper with a desire, application and mindset that creates that winning formula. “We have ground out some really good results and I don’t think that was there when I first walked in. I planted a few seeds and the players have jumped on board, they now that understanding of what is expected of a Boston United side.
“It was tough, one of the hardest things to do was walk into a group that by their own admission was not achieving what they wanted to.
“My biggest thing was to get that mindset but also for the players to realise and believe that they are a good team when they do all the basics.
“I inherited a good group of players individually, I think we are now looking something like a good team but we can get an awful lot better.
“Kidderminster asked loads of questions of us in the second half, we limited a very good side to few chances. When I came in we were conceding three or four on the road so we have solidified.
Consistency
“Both sets of players were overly full of energy, it was a proper Non-League game with two teams going at each other hammer and tongs.
“The little bits of quality were few and far between, it just didn’t seem to be that kind of game but we looked like we had that bit of an edge. I think we are seeing a side now that is starting to believe but there is a long way to go yet before I will be happy.
“Now it is the consistency that I am looking for. We know we can do it, we won 1-0 at Brackley, but it takes that consistency in mindset, performance and confidence.”
More than 400 Boston fans made the trip to Aggborough with Cox anticipating another bumper folhave
lowing today.
“I am proud of the club, since I came in the support has been amazing and I know what it means to the supporters,” he added.
“I am sure they will be travelling up to Fylde – which is not exactly on their doorsteps – in their numbers. We hope to make them proud.
“If we put in the same kind of performance as we did at Kidderminster we will give ourselves an opportunity. It might be fine lines, who knows, but we will go to enjoy it.”