Battling Boston The Greens Nemesis Again

Sleaford Town’s play-off hopes took a significant hit on Wednesday evening as they were defeated 2-0 by a gritty Boston Town side at The MKM Ground.

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Such has been the story of the season, the Greens followed up a promising outing at the weekend with another lacklustre display in front of 203 fans at a chilly Eslaforde Park. Neither really getting going, or causing visiting keeper Travis Portas any severe problems, the Greens were left to rue first half strikes from Harry Limb and Fraser Bayliss as their realistic play-off hopes slipped further from reality.

Player/Managers Tom Ward and Nathan Arnold made three changes from the side that defeated AFC Mansfield 2-0 at The MKM Ground on Saturday afternoon – the headline of which saw the return from suspension of Tom Ward himself as he took the place of Latrell Patterson. Elsewhere Ollie Brown-Hill made his Greens debut after signing on dual-registration from Stamford AFC while Kyle Watkins returned from injury to make his first start since the visit to Hucknall Town last month – Finlay Armond and Ryan Flitton the ones to drop out of the side. Visitors Boston Town meanwhile made just one change from the side that were defeated 1-0 by Melton Town on Saturday afternoon with former Green Joe Smith returning to the side in the place of Lucas Dakin who dropped to the bench.

It was the visiting Poachers who enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges at The MKM Ground and Tristan Drummond was required to block Fraser Bayliss’ effort after he’d been excellently fed by Harry Limb as early as the seventh minute. It was from the resulting corner though that the visitors did find the breakthrough, Limb heading home Lee Beeson’s corner ahead of Liam Flitton’s punch to put the Poachers ahead.
The pressure continued to mount Ollie Brown-Hill required to head off the line after Luke Wilson’s long throw caused chaos in the Greens box before a neat Bayliss flick set Limb free – Liam Flitton behind his effort. The Greens were struggling to muster a response by this stage, Tom Waumsley volley from Drummond’s corner blocked before a Poachers body cleared to safety the first real moment of concern for the away side.

Back at the other end and the Poachers continued to pepper the Greens goal with chances, Bayliss scooping Bayliss in who in turn was expertly denied by Liam Flitton’s outstretched leg. The Greens keeper was then down three minutes later to sweep up Zane Millar’s dangerous cross before Joe Smith blocked his own teammate Bayliss’ seemingly goal-bound effort. The respite did not last too long though when Bayliss picked up a long, sweeping ball to turn Lewis Daff and ultimately slot beyond Flitton to put the Poachers firmly in the ascendancy going into the break.

Naturally, the Poachers kept things tight during the second half with Limb dragging an audacious effort wide of the mark to kick-off the second period. The Greens then began to generate some chances of their own, and enjoyed their best spell of the contest when first Kyle Watkins headed Tristan Drummond’s corner just wide of the post before Tom Ward did similar from another Drummond delivery.
Substitute Kyle Simpson injected some pace, and he took two bites at the cherry after Drummond’s freekick was blocked, his first effort well blocked before he skied the second effort high and wide. The Poachers continued to keep the Greens at arm’s length and were the closest side to scoring again – Liam Flitton required to beat away Lucas Dakin’s effort after he’d broken free of his marker – but in truth, the Greens could not argue the result at the final whistle.

The Greens will now switch their focus to an Easter weekend double-header as they travel to Quorn AFC’s Farley Way Stadium to face Ashby Ivanhoe on Easter Saturday, kick-off there is at 3PM. The Greens will then travel to local rivals Pinchbeck United on Tuesday evening for the second part of that double-header – kick-off at the Sir Halley Stewart Field is at 7.45PM.

Words: Oliver Atkin