York City 3-2 Pilgrims

Avon Insurance League

by Craig Singleton

For the third successive away game, Boston United Reserves surrendered a two-goal advantage to lose 3-2 against York City at Bootham Cresent. United's second string held a 2-0 lead going into the final 25 minutes but crumbled and allowed the Minstermen to take all three points in the Avon Insurance League Division One East clash. Boston again fielded two trialists - Aussie teenage defender Adam Van Dommel and Sheffield United striker Mark Ward. The visitors had started well with Neil Redfearn and James Gould both seeing good crosses cleared as attackers threatened to pounce. United had a let-off in the sixth minute when Graham Potter headed against the underside of the bar after good play involving Alex Mathie and Argentine winger Nicolas Mazzina. Redfearn then fired a free-kick marginally over the bar after Leigh Wood have been penalised for an innocuous looking challenge. Boston opened the scoring on the half-hour when REDFEARN cracked home a 20-yard drive that squirmed through the grasp of highly-rated York keeper Russell Howarth and into the net. They doubled their lead on 34 minutes when Paul HART drove home a firm 15-yard shot past Howarth after fine build-up play involving Anthony Elding, Peter Costello and James Gould.

Nick Conroy saved his side on 40 minutes when he denied Jonathan Parkin in a one-on-one situation after the York man had been played through by Craig Wilding. At the beginning of the second half, Scott Jones headed wide for York from a Mazzina cross. Boston escaped twice on 47 minutes when Potter hit the woodwork with a fierce shot and then Mazzina fired wide with the goal gaping. Parkin was again in the thick of the action when he fired just over the angle after a good cross from Mike Basham. York pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when POTTER buried an eight-yard shot firmly past Conroy after Levent Yalcin and Aiden O'Kane had created the opening. Ward had a good chance to restore United's two goal cushion but headed just over from close range. Conroy produced a fine save on 77 minutes when he palmed away a drive from Yalcin. Two minutes later, Hart was booked for a foul on Mazzina. York drew level on 81 minutes as PARKIN rifled home a fine snapshot. Yalcin then saw a fierce shot cannon back off the crossbar and O'Kane headed wide before York nicked the win in stoppage time when MAZZINA lobbed the ball over Conroy to claim an unlikely win.

United team: 1. Conroy, 2. R Weatherstone, 3. Lodge, 4. Van Dommel (Town 68), 5. Monington (Warburton 46), 6. Hart, 7. Costello (Hardie 42), 8. Redfearn, 9. Elding, 10. Ward, 11. Gould.