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Goalmouth action

Pilgrims 3-2 Rochdale

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Boston United finally notched up their first League win since April by beating high flying Rochdale 3-2 at York Street. Boston welcomed back Austin McCann into the side as they started with three up front to continue with the formation that had proved so successful in the second half at Macclesfield. Paul Ellender was booked five minutes into the game for using his arm to keep out Ernie Cooksey's shot with his arm. Cooksey was soon in action again, seeing his low shot hit the base of the post. Boston went in front after nine minutes when Noel WHELAN struck a well taken goal from the edge of the area following a knock down by Jason Lee. It didn't take long for Rochdale to find an equaliser, when seven minutes later when Grant HOLT got on the end of a long ball forward by Jamie Clarke and chipped the ball over Nathan Abbey in the Boston goal. Rochdale began to dominate the game, but couldn't break through the Boston defence. On the half hour Abbey made a great save to keep out a drive by Scott Warner. Eight minutes into the second half Rochdale went in front following a major blunder by Abbey. The Boston keeper let the ball slip from his grasp following a corner allowing defender Gareth GRIFFITHS to prod home from close range.

Four minutes later Boston won a penalty when the referee was one of the few people in the ground to see Neil Brisco handling the ball. Keeper Matt Gilks was just unable to keep out WHELAN's spot kick. Abbey now made two superb saves to keep the scores level - first a close range shot by Griffiths, then a header by Cooksey. Boston scored what turned out to be the winning goal on 76 minutes, soon after Danny Thomas had come on for Whelan. A shot by Alan WHITE took a big deflection off the heel of Jamie Clarke to deceive Gilks who had the original trajectory well covered. Boston managed to hang on for the remaining minutes to notch up their first win of the season. After the match Steve Evans said: Possibly a draw would have been a fair result if I'm being totally honest. But we're due a little bit of luck. We've had none in seven games, and I mean none. We've had no decisions go for us."

United team: Nathan Abbey, Austin McCann, Paul Ellender, Alan White, Ben Futcher (Mark Greaves 67), Brad Maylett, Ian Ross, David Noble, Julian Joachim (Lawrie Dudfield 89), Jason Lee, Noel Whelan (Danny Thomas 72). Subs not used: Stewart Talbot, Chris Wright.


Match report copyright © Ken Fox 2005. Photograph copyright © Pat Everitt 2005.