Grand Opening
Boston United 1-3 Wealdstone (National League)
It’s been a while, the last day of last season saw Boston beat Hartlepool United 3-1 and I was at the Jakemans Stadium that spring afternoon in April but haven’t been back since, a ground I have frequented no less than 34 times in the last four or five years (according to my Futbology app) is one that I’m returning to after almost five months away, all of six games into this latest National League campaign.
It’s been a tricky testing time for both teams of late, losing my favourite former Pilgrim Frankie Maguire in the summer has left Boston short in creative quality but they still have the goal threat of Lenell John-Lewis, Tom Cursons and Ken Aboh, just five in the league between them so far has Boston dangling disappointingly in fifteenth, eight scored in total, eight conceded, their last league match a commendable 2-2 draw at Tamworth (although they did play West Brom U21’s in the National League Cup in midweek which they lost 1-0) they are without a win in four and have won two, drew one and lost three in their six league matches so far.
A little worse off are Wealdstone, two points behind Boston and below in twentieth place, they have seen star asset Micah Obiero leave for Carlisle in midweek and like Boston are lacking in forward quality, seven scored, eleven conceded in their six games so far, they were thumped 4-1 at home to ten men Kidderminster on Saturday which is about as embarrassing as it can get, although they did beat Stoke under 21’s in the following match 6-0 (National League Cup), a good reaction to perhaps having a kick up the backside from their Manager Gary Waddock.
It’s a sunny morning, but as I leave the house at midday the rain has started, so I grab my waterproof anorak and run to the car with a flask of tea, I’ve chosen to bypass Grantham and its usual Saturday town centre traffic today by nipping on the A1 and back across the A52 where the roads are calm towards the Lincolnshire eastern coast.
The Venue
It’s supposed to be the grand opening of the clubs south stand today. For all the years I’ve been watching Boston play at the modern built Jakemans Stadium there’s been just three sides to the ground, but last season work started on completing the fourth and last and as I walk towards the venue through the clubs car park my eyes are drawn towards a huge unfinished end, a rather large two or three story club office building with gym and all sorts is still being built.
Inside the arena perched from my seat in the press box in my usual spot side on to the action, the actual stand to my right itself is now finished, a small section of seating with primarily standing room the terraced area is roofed and encloses the venue to a completely intimate bowl like surround which accommodates just over 5,000 total, behind and above that new stand is the unfinished build high above, a scoreboard is flashing modern and impressively up on its wall, apparently that got its grand reveal a couple of weeks back in a low key National League Cup game.
Everything is going well, bar the Wealdstone players turning up a little late due to an accident on the A1, they are in the building for 2pm, the fans are starting to congregate in the stand below, but suddenly smoke is appearing from behind the new South Stand. It turns out one of the catering girls has burnt some chips, alarms are going off which are drowned out by music played over the tanoy, the guilty catering girl in tears, the Wealdstone fans are vacating the premises, “the fire brigade have been called” says Christian the PA man “it’s ok though, it’s not life threatening”.
The stand of 86 visiting supporters is quickly emptied, and the contingency plan has them back stood in their old spots where they would have been last season, maybe the grand opening will have to wait another week or two?
The Game
It feels very low key today, Wealdstone don’t bring the biggest away support with them so even on arrival this afternoon I easily found my usual parking space with not too many cars around, the stadium is under half full, lack of decent form and underwhelming opposition perhaps not helping with numbers? And the game starts in the same sombre mood, slow tempo, almost walking pace, Boston make a couple of passes before going long and losing possession, Wealdstone twat around with it in their eighteen yard box before struggling to get the ball over half way, it’s poor from both sides, and you can see why they have both struggled in recent weeks, but boy would some intensity at least, not go amiss.
From a Boston perspective you feel Wealdstone are their for the taking, the scout next to me doesn’t rate their goalkeeper, almost famous last words, something like Brian Clough would say when watching 1970's Poland, “He’s a clown” or similar is relayed, his poor pass out from defence is capitalised on in the Botson midfield, Holohan floats up and defender Grimes still up from a corner is inside the opposition box, he leaps up and beats the keeper Baptiste to the ball which bobbles across the line, a soft one to start, entirely in keeping with the proceedings beginnings.
Without being brilliant, Boston are better than Wealdstone, Ken Aboh is looking dangerous down the right, he has the ball in the back of the net but it’s rightly called offside, Lennon Wheeldon is looking to get on the ball in the number ten position whilst on the left, Ollie Bostock looks a tidy loan signing from West Bromwich Albion, he’s already played seven Championship games for the Baggies.
The tempo however never rises from the hosts and that lets the opposition back in, they have a spell of pressure and go close with a couple of near misses, before a cross from the right finds Dylan Kadji, the midfielder who has been one of the Stones shining lights, sticks out a boot, and the ball bounces home.
The Score
Boston bounce back with more pressure towards the end of the first half, some heroic defending keeps out Lenell John-Lewis, some heroic keeping by Baptiste keeps out Ken Aboh, his brilliant looping header tipped athletically over the bar.
A single change is made by Gary Waddock at half time as Boston keep faith in their 3-4-3 but the game lies still as flat as a pancake can lie, that is until a hopeful ball pumped in by George Gent is handled in the area by Kyle Smith, it looked harsh with Smith’s hands by his side, apparently flicking his elbow, as Lenell John-Lewis steps up, the scout next to me who doesn’t rate the Wealdstone keeper, suddenly changes his tune, “he’ll probably save this” he says, and I agree, not one for fancying John-Lewis from the spot, the striker steps up, aims left, the keeper guesses right and that moment is one that changes the dynamic of the game.
Just a couple of minutes tick before Sai Sachdev is dispossessed inside the Boston half, two passes later, the ball is in the back of the net, Olufema Olomola having an easy tap in on 65, and as the home side go marching forward desperately for a leveller, less than a minute from falling behind they are picked off again, Harris doing brilliantly to carry forward under pressure, he crosses to Wells-Morrison who slides in Mundle-Smith on the overlap and his deflected effort finds Louis Chadwick’s top corner and a yelp of Cockney support turns to cheers of arms aloft as Wealdstone all but wrap up, somehow, all three much needed points.
There’s still a bit to go, and credit Boston who don’t give up, they actually begin to have their best spell of the game as John-Lewis hits a post and Tyrell Agyemang crashes the crossbar but once the storm is over, the last ten has much calmer waters ahead, Wealdstone eventually cruising to an away win, the game ending as flat and as dampened as it started under the drizzle and chip fat smoke in the skies.
The Stars
For long periods I thought Boston were the better team and had they attempted to get out of first gear for more than ten minutes after conceding the third goal it might have been a different story? On first watch I liked the efforts of Gavan Holohan and Terrell Agyemang (a former Wealdstone player) in the Pilgrims midfield, they have both signed this summer, Agyemang in particular very quick footed, whilst left sider Oliver Bostock, just nineteen years old and on loan from West Bromwich Albion, he grew in the game and improved on a quiet start before being taken off. Positive down the flank.
On loan from Sheffield United I thought Sai Sachdev looked athletic at right wing back, rumour is he's better going forward than he is at defending, whilst on the left side of defence, Barnsley loanee Georgie Gent possessed a bit of a wand of a left boot, he looked decent on debut. Best player though? Ken Aboh, he drives the ball forward and always looks a goal threat, we came to the conclusion that he needs more of a challenge, on loan from Norwich City, he needs to be now tested in League One, at worst League Two.
As for Wealdstone, let's not forget they won the game and it was deserved in the end for simply taking their chances, they defensively still concern me but in Aidan Francis-Clarke they have a 22-year-old centre half who was at Braintree last year, who I think will have a long career at this level, strong and quick, he had a good battle with Lenell John-Lewis.
In midfield I really liked the leggy looking Dylan Kadji, whilst next to him Jack Wells-Morrison was solid, strong, sensible in possession, in attack despite the sale of Micah Obiero Wealdstone do have some awkward forward threat, Jayden Harris is another leggy player with ability whilst Olufela Olomola will always occupy defenders, late on Wilson Waweru offered some more awkward looking large legged presence, the 6ft1in Kenyan striker having signed from Cobh Ramblers in Ireland this summer.
Man of the match, well that goes to my scout friend's favourite goalkeeper Dante Baptiste, who we debated before, during, and after the match was played, yes, he possibly isn't the most intimidating, looks vulnerable from crosses and perhaps a liability due to the way he plays out from the back, we ended up calling him a frustrated midfielder, often wanting to get involved when perhaps he doesn't need to, but on a couple of occasions he made fabulous stops, one from a header in particular, and one decent (if not brilliant) penalty save, his big moments in the end the difference, in helping Wealdstone win on the road.
The Verdict
My immediate concern before the game was that having watched clips of Wealdstone well beaten at home by ten men Kidderminster last week, is this a side that could be going down this season? Three points and an away win later, I should be feeling that perhaps not, but am I convinced? I didn't think Boston were great, they missed plenty of chances, Wealdstone were just as average, but the difference, they scored all three.
I still think the Stones will struggle and whilst I think that Boston might too, the differences in budget, in recruitment, in perhaps how much time their existing Managers get, will be deciding factors in who survives against who does not?
Having let a few decent players go I think this season will be a struggle for the Pilgrims, who I predict won't be troubling the top ten, but they should have enough in the tank to survive the dogfight, whilst Wealdstone will need every point they can get, a side with less resources than most, might find things to be a continued struggle, even despite this three points.
The Teams
Boston United: Louis Chadwick, Sai Sachdev, Jake Rooney, Jamie Grimes, Georgie Gent, Ken Aboh (Connor McBride 87), Terrell Agyemang, Gavan Holohan, Ollie Bostock (Jack Holmes 77), Lennon Wheeldon (Tom Cursons 70), Lenell John-Lewis.
Wealdstone: Dante Baptiste, Aidan Francis-Clarke, Connor McAvoy, Jaydn Mundle-Smith, Kyle Smith, Jack Wells-Morrison, Aaron Henry, Joe Newton (Jack Cook 46), Jayden Harris, Dylan Kadji (Dan Chesters 73), Olufela Olomola (Wilson Waweru 73).
3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 12th September 2026, Jakemans Stadium, Boston (att 1,612).
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