Boreham travelled to St.Clere's Reserves with a strong squad of 14 in what proved to be a difficult game for a Boreham side on great run of form.
Magsy returned to the sticks with Charter, Worthington, Simpson and Parsons making up the back four. Adam Dale stepped into centre midfield for the first time this season and was partnered by Goodchild, Carter took up an unfamiliar role on the left side of midfield and Darran Ince started wide right. Tom Dosser and Cowcher we’re up top in a traditional 4-4-2.
New signing Ed Dosser (Thor) took his place on the bench with Powell who was back from injury and Ryan Ince who was looking for his first appearance in the Yellow & Green this season.
Major absentees were Rush (Hols), Stammers (Hols), Smith (Hols), Jay Dale (Work), Parkhurst (Work) & Biggers (Injured). At least three of whom will be in the squad for next week.
Boreham kicked off proceedings on a sloppy but playable pitch and got off to an unbelievable but fortuitous start. From the kick off Dale played a long ball wide right in search of Darran Ince who immediately put the left back under pressure. The St.Clere's left back played a back pass to his keeper who ran out of goal only to miss the ball completely, the ball looked to be going in when the right back cleared off the line only to hit his keeper who was running back into position, the keeper will have to claim the own goal which would easily make a Christmas gaffs DVD.... 0-1 to Boreham after 20 seconds gone!!
Boreham took advantage of this fast start and dominated the early exchanges, Tom Dosser always looked dangerous up the left hand channel and Boreham were first to everything with St.Clere's struggling to keep in the game. Several half chances fell to Boreham including Tom Dosser releasing Cowcher who ran in at a tough angle under pressure from the centre back, his right footed shot ended up wide of the net but more worrying Cowcher picked up a knock on his knee and had to be substituted. Ryan Ince entered the fray on 10 minutes for Cowcher, a straight swap with Ince dropping a little deeper than Cowcher previously.
Following this dominance it was Boreham who took a 0-2 lead, this time a ball from Dale into the left channel set Tom Dosser free, he beat the right back with ease and shifted the ball onto his right foot, it looked as though he would go for another cheeky chip but bided his time and struck the ball home into the bottom left corner, a cool finish from Boreham’s new front man, 0-2 Boreham.
After a near perfect start St.Clere's started to get a foot hold into the game with their left winger looking dangerous and the front man getting a little more ball. Boreham started to drop deeper and St Claires took advantage and managed to score from a well worked move up Boreham’s right hand side. 1-2 to Boreham with St.Clere's looking the more dangerous.
The next ten minutes resulted in very few chances and some scrappy football in the middle of the park. It was however St.Clere's who would finish the half stronger and the left winger managed to bag the equaliser again up the Boreham right hand side. A shell shocked Boreham continued to drop deeper and following a few half chances St.Clere's took the lead, a floated corner was met by a firm headed from the St.Clere's centre midfielder, a bullet header from five yards out, very disappointing from Borehams point of view.
The first half finished 3-2 to St.Clere's and a shell shocked Boreham who perhaps edged the half found theirselves 3-2 down.
Powell entered the game at half time for Charter with Ed Dosser set to wait a few more minutes before his telling contribution.
Immediately Boreham pushed for an equaliser of their own and although the football was not ‘freeflowing’ from either side Boreham always looked more likely. Tom Dosser struck the post from an excellent run and chip on the 47th minute, Powell also hit the bar from a brave header from 12 yards out.
Carter was substituted on 50 minutes for Ed Dosser to pick up his debut, Ed slotted in up front and Ryan Ince dropped into left midfield. Shortly after his introduction Ed Dosser picked up the ball on the edge of the area, he wriggled free of a challenge and managed to slot the ball home from 14 yards, a neat finish from the big man nicknamed ‘Thor’ by his teammates!
At 3-3 Boreham looked to have the impetuous and would push for the winner but it was indeed St.Clere's who would hit two goals to take them 5-3 into the lead, sucker punches from St.Clere's who hit Boreham on the break in clinical style. The left winger was having a decent game and claimed his 3rd and 4thof the game, both neat finishes but Boreham could of perhaps done better with both goals.
At 5-3 down and 70 minutes played Boreham always thought they had it in them to get at least a point, especially with the Dosser brothers both looking dangerous up front and the Ince brothers up each wing. Second half pressure led to a Boreham corner on the 72nd minute and a nice delivery from Darran Ince lead to a bullet header from Simpson, the ball ended up in the stantion and gave Boreham their lifeline, 5-4 and 20 minutes remaining!
Boreham were now pushing forward at will and St.Clere's continued with their high line which would later lead to their downfall. Tom Dosser picked up the ball 25 yards out and wriggled free of a couple of challenges, he took the ball across goal only to lift the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper, a Messi’esk finish from Tom who was now looking for his first hatrick in Boreham colours.
Tom and Boreham did not have to wait long for the hatrick and what would turn out to be the winner of a 11 goal thriller. St.Clere's guilty of overplaying at the back played a back pass to their keeper who seemed to struggle with the ball at his feet today, Tom Dosser nicked the ball off his toes and managed to get to the ball before it ran out for a goal kick, from an impossible angle Tom managed to sweep the ball home into the bottom corner and celebrations ensued.
Boreham managed to see the game out with only a few minutes remaining and relief was there for all to see. A fine 3 points for Boreham who managed an impressive double over St.Clere's who have always been great competition. Boreham’s league record now reads W 5 D 1 L 1 and are only three points off the top with one game in hand. A home game against bottom of the table Manford Way concludes 2012 with a strong squad expected.
