Home Results News Table Squad Statistics

Emley 0-0 Pilgrims

Unibond League

This was a more entertaining game than the score suggests. If the Emley front line hadn't been totally atrocious at finishing then United could easily have been five goals down by half time. After just six minutes Chris Withe was beaten for pace on the right wing and a cross was fired into the feet of Emley's No. 6, who unmarked, on the six yard line, with no-one to beat, scooped the ball over the bar. Six minutes later and another cross from the right managed to bounce through three Boston defenders to arrive at the feet of Emley's No. 8, Glynn Hurst, who faced with an empty net screwed the ball wide of the left post. The game then settled down for a while. Leroy Chambers managed to win a few corners and throw-ins close to the corner flag, one of which resulted in a cross which went through the area to Chris Withe who shot wide. Then in the last two minutes of the half there was absolute mayhem in the Boston goalmouth. First Glynn Hurst missed another open goal, then in their next attack Emley managed to hit the post, then knock the rebound back onto the post again before the ball was cleared. They just had time for Hurst to put on a burst of speed to outpace Joby Gowshall and run through and miss before the half time whistle.

In the second half United had a couple of half chances but never really looked like scoring. Ex-Pilgrim Darren Clyde is now plying his trade in the heart of the Emley defence and he made a good job of marking Leroy Chambers, managing to restrict him to winning corners rather than shooting at goal. Hurst missed yet another chance when he was put through only to shoot tamely straight at Paul Bastock. Richard Mason came on for Chris Cook for the last twenty-five minutes and had Boston's best chance of scoring. Andrew Stanhope provided him with a perfect pass but his curling shot from the edge of the area went over the bar. Paul Cavell also lobbed a cross from Joby Gowshall just over the bar. Despite winning lots of corners and a couple of free kicks on the edge of the area United rarely threatened. A bit more practice at set pieces at the next training session could pay dividends.

United team: 1. Paul Bastock, 2. Joby Gowshall, 3. Chris Withe, 4. Greg Fee, 5. Martin Hardy, 6. Steve Charles, 7. Andrew Stanhope, 8. Steve Appleby, 9. Paul Cavell, 10. Leroy Chambers, 11. Chris Cook, 12. Paul Watts, 14. Richard Mason, 15. Danny Marshall.