Gooda blasts Boro into National League North after final victory
Centre-back Bailey Gooda was the unlikely goalscoring hero as Boro booked their place in National League North next season with a 2-1 win against Warrington in the play-off final at a packed Flamingo Land Stadium.
The huge 2,805 crowd produced a fantastic carnival atmosphere, as both sets of supporters roared their sides on, but the game was a physical and tense affair, and the swirling wind made for difficult playing conditions, writes Steve Adamson.
Warrington centre-forward Josh Amiss clattered into Ash Jackson after just 10 seconds, and when he then fouled Gooda, the burly striker was yellow carded with just five minutes on the clock.
Town also created early chances, with Jordan Buckley firing an effort wide and then over the bar. Dixon passed forward to Amiss, but Gooda got in a timely interception.
Ryan Watson shot wide in Boro’s first attack, Michael Coulson had a shot deflected wide, and Will Thornton backheaded a Watson corner inches past the far post.
A Lewis Maloney cross into the box was headed clear by Sean Williams, before Boro took the lead on 16 minutes with a fabulous goal from skipper Coulson, who latched onto a ball from Maloney and raced down the left to the bye-line, before cutting inside and, despite the acute angle, fired into the far corner for a brilliant finish.
Luca Colville then laid off to Watson, who forced a good diving save out of keeper Dan Atherton, then Kieran Glynn struck a 25-yard shot straight at the keeper, before Warrington had a spell of pressure.
A Williams corner was headed clear by Colville, and Edmond Clarke set up Williams, whose 20-yard shot dipped inches over the bar.
The visitors drew level on 36 minutes with a well worked goal, as Dixon passed forward to Clarke on the left, and his cross was clinically headed past Whitley by Amiss.
Early in the second half a surging run from Buckley was halted by a great tackle from Jackson, pictured above, right, celebrating with Boro fans.
The visitors had the ball in the net when Buckley netted following a through-ball from Amiss, but an offside flag spoiled his celebrations.
The turning point in the match occurred on 53 minutes, when Mitch Duggan fouled Jackson, and the referee brandished a straight red card after consultation with his linesman.
From that moment on it was all Boro, with Warrington forced to defend in numbers.
Coulson laid off to Maloney, who struck a fierce shot, but left-back Matt Regan made a great block, then a Maloney shot was tipped round the post by Atherton.
Will Jarvis, who had a good game, passed to Maloney, who bent the ball past the far post, and a long-throw from Jackson was met by Gooda, whose header was saved, then Atherton raced out to clear as Coulson ran onto a pass from Gooda. A busy Atherton also plucked the ball off the head of Coulson following a Jackson cross.
A Maloney cross into the box was cleared by Regan, before Boro’s winning goal arrived in the 81st minute, when a cross from Colville wasn’t dealt with, and Gooda, one of the few remaining players from the 2018 EvoStik North promotion winning side, drove a shot into the bottom corner to send the big crowd into ecstasy.
Five minutes later aM aloney shot was tipped onto the bar by visiting keeper Atherton, then Colville set up Jarvis, whose shot was cleared off the line by Regan, and Colville then fired wide of the left-hand post.
Warrington did mount a couple of late attacks, Sean Williams blazed a 25-yard free-kick high over the bar, and Amiss headed against the top of the bar from a last-minute corne, as Boro held on to claim their place in Conference North next season.
BORO: Whitley, Weledji, Jackson, Maloney, Thornton, Gooda, Jarvis, Watson (Heslop 54), Coulson (Plant 85), Glynn (Day 60), Colville
MAN OF THE MATCH: Bailey Gooda
ATTENDANCE: 2,805.