Pilgrims 3-1 Northampton Town

Friendly

by Barbara Singleton

Another impressive pre-season display was served up last night by Boston United. The Pilgrims turned on the power against a strong Northampton Town outfit to claim their third Football League scalp of their build-up programme. An early own goal from Cobblers' defender Tony Dobson coupled with second half strikes from skipper David Rennie and midfielder Andrew Stanhope were more than enough to sink Town whose late reply from Ryan Thompson was no more than a crumb of comfort. Such was the all-round strength available to manager Steve Evans' that he was able to use two complete sets of 11 players for the fixture. In the first half there was plenty to admire about the United performance - notably with Micky Nuttell winning most things in the air in attack while the likes of Jason Minett, Jim Dick and Paul Raynor offered plenty of creativity from midfield. Dick was twice only a fraction away from getting on the scoresheet with shots from distance while Richard Lucas and Paul Fewings also went close.

Their efforts would have added to United's fifth minute breakthrough, supplied when DOBSON deflected a header past his own keeper. Town's best response was from a John Howard header which Paul Bastock superbly tipped over. The reshuffled United side showed no signs of letting up after the break with Anthony Elding and Mark Rawle both firing wide with spectacular efforts. On 72 minutes, Boston doubled their lead when RENNIE glanced in from a curling free-kick by Kenny Cramman. And two minutes later the advantage was 3-0 when Rawle crossed for STANHOPE to net from close range. Town briefly threatened with two stinging efforts from Howard. But both were straight at substitute keeper Kevin Martin. But Martin, in tandem with Andy Lodge, then contrived make a hash of a back-pass. Howard intervened and the ball dropped for THOMPSON to trundle into the gaping net.

United team: 1. Bastock (Martin 46), 2. Gowshall (Herbert 46), 3. Lucas (Cramman 46), 4. Wooding (Hayes 46), 5. Howarth (Pawson 46), 6. Rennie (Costello 77), 7. Minett (Stanhope 46), 8. Dick (Livett 46), 9. Nuttell (Elding 46), 10. Fewings (Rawle 46), 11. Raynor (Lodge 46). Subs (not used): Steadman, Taylor.