Congleton Town 1-0 Pilgrims

FA Cup

I feel a bit like Bill Murray's character in the film Groundhog Day. He got stuck in a time loop and was forced to live the same day over and over again. Watching Boston is a bit like that at the moment. The same faces run out at the start of each game, they dominate the play, they fail to score, they let in a ridiculous goal and they never look like getting back into the game. Everyone agrees they need a new striker or two but one never materialises. This game was just another one in the loop. The game started well. The side had a well balanced look about it. Steve Charles was on form and saw a couple of headers miss the target by inches. Steve Appleby, head bandaged from an injury picked up midweek, also saw an effort just over after turning and shooting from the edge of the area. Mason and Stanhope were causing havoc down the wings, winning corners and putting in wicked curling crosses. If only Munton or Watts could have finished better then United would have been well ahead at the interval. Congleton only had one real chance in the first half, when their No. 9, ex-Runcorn striker Paul Heavey, shot wide under pressure from Len Curtis.

The second half was just two minutes in when Congleton got a penalty for a disputed handball. HEAVEY sent Bastock the wrong way to give Congleton an undeserved lead. The goal forced Boston to come forward more and this often left gaps at the back. Both sides were now creating chances. Congleton defender Craig Warrington was brought down on the edge of the area after dribbling through the heart of the Boston defence. He took the resulting free kick himself and saw it bounce off the wall for a corner. At the other end a Steve Appleby shot forced a good diving save from Tim Mullock in the Congleton goal. Boston then made some substitutions. First Leigh Taylor replaced Munton, then Danny Marshall and Simon Bailey came on for Steve Charles and Paul Watts. Taylor and Bailey looked sharp. Taylor soon saw a shot hit the underside of the bar and bounce out and Bailey was creating good chances. But it was not to be Boston's day. Time ran out and our FA Cup dreams for this season have been strangled at birth.

United team: 1. Paul Bastock, 2. Joby Gowshall, 3. Len Curtis, 4. Chris Withe, 5. Martin Hardy, 6. Steve Charles, 7. Andrew Stanhope, 8. Steve Appleby, 9. Paul Watts, 10. Darren Munton, 11. Richard Mason, 12. Simon Bailey, 14. Danny Marshall, 15. Brian Horseman, 16. Leigh Taylor, 17. Nick Maddison