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Farnborough Town 0-2 Pilgrims

Nationwide Conference

by Barbara Singleton

Goal-grabbing heroes Ken Charlery and Simon Weatherstone maintained their rich scoring form to bolster Boston United's championship credentials. The duo were both on target to spur the Pilgrims to their fifth away win of the Conference campaign - and keep the pressure on leading lights Dagenham and Redbridge. Victory was deserved reward for a solid all-round team effort by United and kept them hot on the heels of the Essex outfit. Their success stemmed from an excellent defensive platform, topped off by superb opportunism at the other end with Charlery and Weatherstone each bagging their eighth league goals of the season. Manager Steve Evans was delighted with the performance and said: "Our back four and goalkeeper were terrific. We basically restricted them to just two shots from distance. And even then Paul Bastock made two superb saves. I have been critical of him in recent weeks. But on Saturday he was top drawer. It was a hugely important win for us and I was immensely proud of the whole team. Now we have got to keep things going for some more difficult matches which lie ahead." The victory at Farnborough was United's first in four visits to Cherrywood Road. And in the early stages the Pilgrims were quick to show their intentions.

In the fourth minute, Simon Weatherstone fired off target with a long range drive, while Daryl Clare tested home keeper Steve Farrelly with a low shot. Boro responded with a few attacking flurries, the only real danger emerging when Gary Patterson tried his luck from the edge of the box. But Bastock saved easily. Boston regained the ascendancy midway through the first half. First Peter Costello crossed from the right for Jamie Cook to head just wide. But then came the all-important breakthrough when CHARLERY seized possession on the edge of the area and fired an accurate shot beyond a static Farrelly. Just before half-time, United lost the services of full-back Andy Lodge, who sustained facial injuries after an accidental collision. James Gould substituted. Boston began the second half in up-tempo style by forcing a couple of corners. But they were unable to make the set-pieces count. Then in the 82nd minute substitute Mark Angel got in a good cross which Charlery met well but saw his headed bounce away off the crossbar. Two minutes from the end SIMON WEATHERSTONE got in a looping header but the ball dropped wide. He did get his name on the scoresheet with the match going into 10 minutes of extra time, after he fired in from an opening created by Charlery.

Boston team: 1. Bastock, 2. Clifford, 3. Lodge (Gould 45), 4. R Weatherstone, 5. Monington, 6. Ellender, 7. Costello, 8. Charlery, 9. Clare (Town 90), 10. S. Weatherstone, 11. Cook (Angel 77). Subs (not used): Murphy, Conroy.


This report originally appeared in the Lincolnshire Echo.