Boston United 2-3 Cambridge United

FA Cup

Boston United can consider themselves unlucky not to at least be in the draw for the first round proper after putting on a spirited display against Conference high fliers Cambridge United, only to be defeated by a late own goal. Boston began the game without David Farrell and Liam Green out injured and Ryan Clarke out suspended following his sending off against Hednesford. However Ryan Clarke's brother Ewan - a striker signed on non-contract terms from Watford - was on the subs' bench along with youth team player Simon Ashton and another new signing Frenchman David De Oliveira. Cambridge dominated the opening minutes and when Danny CROW slotted home after eight minutes it looked like it might be the start of a rout. Tommy Taylor's response was to immediately bring on Keiran Leabon in place of Liam Parker. The change soon paid off when LEABON headed home a free kick taken by Ollie Ryan in the 28th minute. Boston were denied a penalty a few minutes later when a Cambridge defender punched a free kick clear, but the referee failed to spot it.

Cambridge retook the lead early in the second half when Robbie WILLMOTT ran unchallenged at the Boston defence before seeing his shot deflected past Martyn Margarson off Michael Wood. Ollie Ryan should have levelled the scores when a neat move by Froggatt got him past his marker and allowed him to send in a cross to Ryan who blasted over with the goal at his mercy. RYAN made amends when he found the net from a tight angle on 56 minutes. Cambridge got their winner on 83 minutes when Matt BLOOMER headed Willmott's long range shot away from Margarson and into the top right corner. After the match Tommy Taylor said: "I thought if Ollie had scored the goal at the right time we could have gone on to win the game. I thought we deserved at least a draw from the game."

Boston United: Martyn Margarson, Tom Matthews, Liam Parker (Kieran Leabon 14), Matt Bloomer, Michael Wood, Wes Parker (Adam Millson 77), Steve Melton, Stewart Talbot (Ewan Clarke 80), Jon Rowan, Jon Froggatt, Ollie Ryan. Subs not used: Lee Beeson, Aaron Butcher, David De Oliveira, Simon Ashton.