FA Cup hopes, late drama and an eight-goal victory featured in another busy afternoon of Lincolnshire non-league football, writes David Ward.
Boston United 1-3 Scunthorpe United
Boston United’s hopes of reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup ended with a disappointing home defeat to local rivals Scunthorpe United. It was an afternoon the Pilgrims would rather forget, with manager Paul Hurst delivering a blunt assessment of himself and his players afterwards.
Boston started reasonably well, but a mistake in the 12th minute allowed Scunthorpe to take the lead. From then on, the visitors dominated the first half and deservedly doubled their advantage in the 45th minute, with a former Pilgrim adding to the home side’s frustration.
The hosts emerged stronger after the break, knowing a goal could put pressure on a Scunthorpe side sitting one place below them in the league. Boston had a couple of good opportunities, but another former Pilgrim scored the visitors’ third in the 69th minute to leave United with a mountain to climb.
Lenell John-Lewis finally pulled one back in the 87th minute, and Jake Rooney sent an effort past the post shortly afterwards. Had that gone in, there might have been an interesting finish, but Boston were left reflecting on an FA Cup exit and another afternoon of costly errors.
Hurst was extremely disappointed in his local radio interview, saying both he and the players were not good enough. In his subsequent club interview, he remained unhappy with the first-half performance and confirmed the players would be back in on Monday to go through the mistakes, asking: “How many times can you tell them the same thing?”
There are plenty of questions for Boston to answer after this performance. They will at least have an early opportunity to respond against the same opponents, with the league meeting between the sides coming in a fortnight.
Spalding United 2-2 Alvechurch
Spalding United remain in the FA Cup draw, but they will need a replay after surrendering a two-goal lead at home to Alvechurch. A controversial stoppage-time penalty denied the Tulips a place in the first round proper after Dan Jarvis had put them firmly in control.
With seven players sidelined by long-term injuries, Spalding had strengthened their squad during the week by bringing back Joseph Nyahwema and signing Ejiro Abbey on loan from Peterborough United. Nyahwema was still awaiting international clearance, while Abbey took a place on the substitutes’ bench.
The Tulips started strongly and went close a couple of times before Jarvis opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Spalding continued to have the better of the first half, although Alvechurch played some good football and remained a threat.
The visitors began to take greater control after the interval, but it was Spalding who struck again on the hour. Jarvis rounded the goalkeeper and slotted into an empty net to score his second and put the Tulips within touching distance of progression.
Alvechurch kept playing and pulled a goal back late on, setting up a nervous finish for the home side. Spalding held their lead through the remainder of normal time, only for the visitors to be awarded a controversial penalty in added time, which they converted to level the scores.
There was still time for Spalding to go agonisingly close to restoring their lead, but a late effort went inches wide. The sides must now do it all again at Alvechurch on Tuesday night, although the Tulips will know their potential first-round opponents before the replay takes place.
Gainsborough Trinity 4-0 Hyde United
Gainsborough Trinity continued their recent good form with a comprehensive home victory over Hyde United. The Blues needed less than two minutes to take the lead, with Jordan Helliwell collecting a loose ball, driving forward and curling his shot into the net.
Hyde made a fight of it during the first half and created one or two chances of their own. Trinity held on to their advantage until the break, then took control with an impressive second-half display.
Their second goal arrived in the 52nd minute, with two passes from the back opening up the visitors for Fraser Preston to finish. Ronnie Kokkinos made it three in the 65th minute, before Connor Brown completed the scoring in the closing stages to round off an emphatic afternoon.
Guisborough Town 2-2 Lincoln United
Lincoln United were denied an away victory by a last-minute equaliser at Guisborough Town. The Whites had been looking to respond to their midweek home defeat and appeared well placed to do so after opening up a two-goal lead.
Liam Fitton returned in goal, while United were happy to stay organised against opponents who liked to keep possession and wait for their opportunities. Some first-half refereeing decisions frustrated the visitors, but Liam Moran gave them the lead shortly before the interval.
That goal lifted United, and Moran struck again in the 56th minute to double both his own tally and the Whites’ advantage. Guisborough briefly looked shaken, but recovered to pull a goal back in the 68th minute and put the visitors under increasing pressure.
United had to defend strongly as the home side pushed forward, only to concede an equaliser in the final minute. There was further disappointment after the final whistle when Elliot Dye received a second yellow card, adding a suspension to the frustration of two points slipping away.
Belper Town 2-0 Skegness Town
Skegness Town were unable to follow up their midweek Lincolnshire Cup victory over Brigg Town as they lost away at Belper Town. The hosts took the lead in the 19th minute and added a second in the 35th to establish a commanding half-time advantage.
The Lilywhites pushed forward after the break and used all their available substitutions in an attempt to find a way back into the contest. Belper held firm, however, leaving Skegness to return home with a disappointing defeat.
Boston Town 1-2 Basford United
Boston Town were left frustrated by familiar problems as they slipped to a home defeat against Basford United. Town started well and created opportunities, but poor decisions in the penalty area prevented them from making their early play count.
They paid for that in the 32nd minute when some ball-watching in defence allowed Basford to take the lead. That remained the score at half-time, but the introduction of Harry Limb helped bring Boston back into the game, with the substitute equalising in the 50th minute.
Town conceded again in the 75th minute when Basford were allowed a straightforward header at the back post from a corner. Boston still had a chance to rescue a point when they were awarded a penalty in the 83rd minute, but a tame effort gave the goalkeeper the opportunity to save.
Manager Chris Funnell was frustrated afterwards by his side’s failure to turn promising situations into goals, alongside their continued vulnerability at set pieces. Town now have a fortnight before their next match, giving the management team time to work on the problems.
Grantham Town 2-2 Carlton Town
Grantham Town shared the points with Carlton Town in an entertaining encounter after twice seeing the momentum change. The Gingerbreads started strongly and took the lead through Ryan Rushen in the 21st minute, only for Carlton to equalise in the 34th.
The visitors carried that encouragement into the second half and deservedly moved ahead in the 61st minute. Falling behind sparked Grantham back into life, with Town creating several chances before Joseph Braithwaite equalised in the 71st minute.
The Gingerbreads continued to push forward in search of a winner. They could not find a third goal, however, and had to settle for a point.
South Normanton Athletic 2-1 Sleaford Town
Sleaford Town came away empty-handed from an entertaining match at South Normanton Athletic, despite a performance that deserved more. Both sides played their part in an enjoyable contest, with the hosts taking the lead in the fifth minute.
The teams continued to push each other throughout the first half, and the second followed a similar pattern. Sleaford’s equaliser arrived in the 63rd minute when Jonathan Timmings headed home, but South Normanton restored their advantage 12 minutes later.
The Greens finished strongly and could feel unfortunate not to have taken at least a point. Although the result went against them, there was plenty in the performance for Sleaford to be proud of.
Louth Town 1-0 Selston
Louth Town completed an excellent week with a deserved home victory over Selston. Their confidence was evident from the start, with the visitors given little opportunity to settle on the ball or establish control.
Despite Louth’s dominance, the first half ended goalless. The breakthrough came just two minutes after the restart when Elliot Broughton struck a superb volley into the far corner.
Louth remained strong defensively and created further opportunities to extend their advantage. One goal proved enough, however, as Town collected all three points.
Sandiacre Town 1-0 Harrowby United
Harrowby United were unable to improve on their midweek away defeat as a penalty settled their trip to Sandiacre Town. The Arrows started strongly and had one or two good opportunities to take the lead, but could not make them count.
Instead, the hosts’ spot-kick proved decisive in a narrow defeat. The result leaves Harrowby in the bottom half of the table, just above Louth Town and Pinchbeck United.
Pinchbeck United 1-3 Stapleford Town
Pinchbeck United’s recent improvement suffered a setback as they lost at home to Stapleford Town. The hosts made an excellent start, taking the lead in just the fourth minute from a well-worked set piece.
A free-kick near the corner flag was lifted towards the far post, where Josh Balding headed the ball back across goal for Harry Cranfield to nod home. Stapleford equalised in the 16th minute, however, and Pinchbeck spent much of the remainder of the half under pressure.
The visitors took control after the interval and scored twice more to secure the points. Pinchbeck remain second from bottom, with a heavily negative goal difference adding to the challenge ahead, even at this relatively early stage of the season.
Stamford 0-4 Real Bedford
Stamford endured a difficult afternoon at home to Real Bedford, with the visitors taking control early and never letting go. The Daniels fell behind in the 14th minute and were three goals down by half-time, a fair reflection of Real Bedford’s dominance.
Stamford tried to establish a foothold after the break and did create some chances of their own. Any hopes of a recovery were ended in the 71st minute, though, when the visitors added a fourth to complete a convincing victory.
Kinsley Boys 0-8 Brigg Town
Brigg Town provided a much brighter result to finish on, responding to their midweek Lincolnshire Cup defeat at Skegness with an eight-goal away victory. The Zebras were dominant throughout, producing a display their management described afterwards as close to perfection.
Reece York opened the scoring in the 15th minute, with an own goal doubling Brigg’s advantage just a minute later. Another own goal made it three in the 37th minute, before Josh Batty added a fourth in the 40th to send the visitors into half-time in complete control.
There was no easing off after the interval, with Batty scoring his second a minute into the half and completing his hat-trick six minutes later. Dayle Southwell made it seven two minutes after that, before Jack Richardson rounded off the scoring on the hour.
It was an overwhelming response to the disappointment of their cup exit. The victory also kept Brigg clear at the top of the table, with the Zebras showing no sign of allowing that midweek setback to affect their league form.
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