Trophy hopes sunk by late Marine strike
Boro’s dismal run of FA Trophy results continued as they slipped to their ninth successive defeat in the competition, going down to a late goal at NPL high-flyers Marine after a gritty and at times physical and feisty clash on Merseyside.
Marine created a couple of early chances, as Jack Dunn played a low ball into the Boro box and Sol Solomon fired wide, then keeper Joe Cracknell blocked a shot from Dunn.
Kieran Weledji fired just over in Boro’s first attack, then on 19 minutes Cracknell pushed over a volley from Dunn.
But from the resulting corner, Cracknell and Dunn crashed into each other, and the Marine centre-forward was stretchered off after sustaining a knee injury.
Bailey Gooda had a superb game at the back for Boro, winning everything in the air, and he also threw his body in the way of a fierce shot from Solomon.
Boro’s best move of the game saw their in-form midfielder Kieran Glynn lay-off to Luca Colville, who curled a shot towards the top left corner, but home keeper Bayleigh Passant pulled off a terrific diving save to tip the ball over, and from the corner by Ryan Watson, Weledji fired narrowly over.
A mass scuffle broke out after a foul on Colville as
tempers became frayed, and shortly before the interval, first Lucas Weir shot into the Boro side-netting, then at the other end, Colville had a strike blocked by a home defender.
Boro were on top for much of the second half, without really testing keeper Passant.
Dan Bramall latched on to a fabulous ball from Glynn, cut in from the left, and fired narrowly wide, then a long throw into the area from Ash Jackson, was headed on by Gooda towards Kieran Burton,
whose shot was blocked.
Bramall received another defence-splitting pass from Glynn, but his shot was charged down by Jordan Lussey.
A long kick upfield from Cracknell landed at Bramall’s feet, and he laid off to Colville, who shot inches past the post.
Marine’s Solomon then sent a 20-yard free kick round the wall, but straight at Cracknell.
Glynn flicked a pass forward to Brad Plant, who set
off on a mazy dribble past three defenders before being closed down by the onrushing keeper, and Lewis Maloney had a free-kick pushed round the post by Passant, then from the corner by Maloney, Colville’s header was blocked by a defender.
A long-throw from Jackson fell to Dom Tear, who tried an over-head kick, that was easily dealt with by Passant.
Despite dominating possession, Boro had only managed two shots on target in the game , and they were made to pay late on, when substitute Mo Touray, who had been on the pitch less than a minute, placed his shot just inside the righthand post, from the edge of the area, with his first touch of the ball.
The nearest to a last gasp equaliser was when Jackson had a shot charged down by Lussey in stoppage time, as Boro’s hopes of Wembley ended at the first hurdle yet again.