Boston United 1-2 Brackley Town Vanarama National League North - Saturday 6th April 2024

Saints turned in an impressive performance to earn a deserved away win against play-off contenders Boston United. All of the goals came in the first half in difficult conditions at a wind-blown afternoon at The Jakemans’ Community Stadium.

“We can put together a game strategy but the players have to go out and do it on the pitch so full credit to them,” Gavin Cowan said. “Full credit to the players because they did it to a man today. You have to come to places like this and these are the challenges you have to cope with. We are ecstatic to come here and go away with the win. It shows how much we have evolved and how far this team has come.”

Connor Hall opened the scoring on 17 minutes put through by Danny Newton Hall’s shot found the net beating the keeper and evading the efforts of two defenders. Boston levelled on 25 minutes as a quickly taken free-kick led to a shot being charged down but the rebound falling kindly for Kelsey Mooney who finished fiercely beyond Danny Lewis.

Brackley restored the lead as Newton found a sublime finish from Tyler Lyttle’s cross, Newton’s 16th goal of the season hooked in spectacular fashion beyond keeper Cameron Gregory on 32 minutes. Morgan Roberts was close to increasing the lead, his shot after a battling run cleared off the line.

The second half promised more goals but despite putting the away defence under pressure The Pilgrims rarely threatened Lewis’s goal. The chances came at the other end with Hall setting up chances for Roberts and then Riccardo Calder before Hall’s driving run into the penalty area played in Lyttle whose finish was wayward. Newton’s pass set up Roberts but he was thwarted at the last and Saints had to withstand some late and intense pressure to seal the win.

“It was a fantastic team performance. We seem to have found a bit of rhythm but nobody is getting carried away,” Cowan added. “We have secured our place in the play-offs today but it’s important now we try to finish as high as we possibly can and to re-calibrate and then look at the challenges we’ll face in the play-offs. There is no point in coming all this way and falling at the final hurdle.”

Brackley Town: Lewis, Dean, Lilly, Carline, Calder, Murombedzi, O’Sullivan, Roberts (Armson 92), Lyttle, Hall, Newton. Subs unused: Gudger, Turner, Bates, Cross.

Boston United: Gregory, Rowe, Sephton (Hazel 57), Bostwick, Leak, Ward (Sotona 57), Woods, Mooney, Knowles, Richards, Hill (Gyasi 77). Subs unused: Mahovo, Mills.

Referee: Tom Wilson Assistants: Waqar Ahmad and Martin Parker

Attendance: 1755

PIC: Kindly supplied by Russell Dossett / Boston United