For the second week running Boreham were forced to hang on to a slender lead but nevertheless came out victors in a contest which should have been won more conformably. Perhaps a good sign that they could be mastering the art of ‘winning ugly’ or at least grinding out results when playing well below par.
The team news was good with a strong bench consisting of De Vito and Parkhurst, leaving an almost unchanged side from the week before. Injury victims Ince and Stammers were not available so with the same other nine players keeping their starting positions, both Dale brothers came into the starting XI. Adam took his place alongside Cowcher upfront with Jay slotting in at centre back.
Boreham started the game the more positive. Midfield duo of Goodchild and MOM Rush were controlling things in the middle and getting lots of balls out to the wide men. Boreham’s defence were largely untroubled in a one sided half. The deadlock was broken when top scorer Cowcher raced onto to a Smith through ball to calmly toe poke the ball under the keeper for 1-0.
A rare attack from the visitors resulted in an equaliser for Brendans. The tricky winger did well on his own on the left flank and looked to pick out a teammate with a dinked cross only for the ball to elude everyone including Magsy in goal and fly into the top corner. 1-1.
Boreham were forced into making a change mid way through the half when Adam Dale had to hop off clutching his back. De Vito came on for a straight sway up top.
Boreham re-took the lead when Rush produced his very own piece of brilliance. A poor goal kick landed and the feet of the Boreham midfielder who took a couple of touches before lashing an effort over the hapless keeper from all of 35 yards out. A great strike from Rushy who would later be gutted to learn that as the goal happened so quickly it caught cameraman Starling off guard who only managed to catch the ball hitting the net. Never mind Rushy, I’m sure you’ve got a few more wordly’s in you this season!
A third goal for Boreham followed five minutes before the interval. This time some good work from Cowcher resulted in a drag back to De Vito who scored his second of the season. This goal was at least a couple of yards further out then his three yard out winner a few months previously! The half time whistle blew with Boreham well worth the 3-1 lead.
The second half was on the whole poor from Boreham. Their tempo had dropped and too many players appeared to have switched off. The wide men were mainly spectators as the middle of the park proved to be where most of the action was taking place. With little or no real action of any significance from the half for Boreham, it was their opponents who set up a nervy final 15 minutes when a well taken headed goal reduced the arrears to 3-2.
Magsy managed to produce a trademark stop in the dying minutes to deny the visitors and equaliser as Boreham held on for the 3-2 win and all three points. In the end a deserved win, if not a bit of a scrappy affair. The management team will be looking for a vast improvement for next week’s game which sees Division 2 newcomers Flitch Utd visit the Rec for this last 16 Dave Strachan Cup encounter.
