Boston United 0-0 Oldham Athletic (National League)
It's the wife's birthday on Saturday so we're off to Krakow, which means no game for me at the weekend but Boston v Oldham on a Tuesday night will hopefully see my 200th goal of the campaign in 72 matches watched so far during 2024/25. A milestone I'm excited to reach, already foaming at the mouth to see who will deliver and how.
There's optimism about a great escape for the Pilgrims too, despite being nine points from safety, Boston have a couple of games in hand on most around them and unexpectedly won at the weekend, a late show saw them take all three points at Dagenham & Redbridge in an impressive 3-1 win down south.
Oldham are still in the playoffs, somehow, they haven't won in five and we're beaten 3-0 by league leaders Barnet at Boundary Park on Saturday. They've slipped under my radar somewhat having not yet seen them play this season, unsure if they have a few injuries of late? They have recalled loan star Jes Uchegbulam who was on the bench for Eastleigh at the Jakemans a couple of weeks back and have former Pilgrim Tom Donaghy in net, he signed from Fleetwood in February and is yet to help his side win, having played two games on loan for United earlier this season.
I've climbed into the car after watching India chase down an Australian target of 265 in the cricket, off to my sister's for a quick cuppa before heading east for the rest of my journey, sun setting in the west it's been a gorgeous day, a lovely week so far, it feels spring is starting to kick in to gear.
The Venue
I'm early tonight so nip in to Burger King for a Bacon Double Cheeseburger meal where I overhear a conversation between a couple of Boston and Oldham fans discussing their clubs form. It seems United's fans are happier with their Manager Graham Coughlan despite being deep down the bottom end of the National League than the Latics are with Nicky Mellon of late.
Over the road the circular lights of the Boston Community Stadium light up the darkening sky, my usual walk across the car park is shared with fans with optimism, one says to his mate "were gonna bloody smash em tonight".
Ticket received and turnstile entered, I grab a quick cuppa and kit kat before watching ten minutes of Villa at Bruges in the Champions League on the TV under the stand's concourse, then up to my seat in the press area which is surrounded by bags and suitcases for various bits of equipment tonight.
James from Cleethorpes is here, he's a Grimsby fan and scout who I regularly sit with at Boston, behind me the radio Lincolnshire team with former Boston and Bradford striker Peter Costello co-comms. The pitch beneath in fine green nick, flat and healthy like you would expect on the 1st August. The crowd near full it looks, a good atmosphere being created by both home and away.
The Game
Boston go unchanged from their win at Daggers, Oldham throw Uchegbulam straight in up front, it's a healthy battle is the first half but chances are few and far between, Boston you feel have a resurgence of confidence, they battle hard, harder than Oldham who have that bit more quality, but it's hard to tell which team is in the playoffs and which is fighting relegation.
Jacob Hazel has the best opportunities, he races clear and does well to get a shot off when up against several defenders on his own, his effort deflecting wide which wrong footed Donaghy, before he blazed over what looked like an easy chance from close range after Knowles forced the goalkeeper into action. Oldham hardly troubling Cameron Gregory in the Pilgrims goal despite lively runs from Pritchard and Worthington who carried the ball beautifully at times.
The Score
It's a question at half time, "would it be a good point for Boston" who look slightly the better team, with results not going there way, it feels like a decent result as it stands but in the grand scheme, perhaps Oldham are there for the taking?
But early in the second half Oldham produce their best move of the game, slick passing by Ogle and Worthington who crosses low for Fondop who can only drill wide, on 67 Uchegulam shoots straight at Gregory who is comfortable to claim into his chest, the Latics fans then sign "we've had a shot".
The travelling away support of 273 aren't happy, they are by now signing "Nicky Mellon, your football is sh*t"... As Boston have a good spell where they press for an opener. That looks to arrive when a delightful ball by Dylan Hill is crossed to the back post, Jai Rowe heading home but the linesman's flag is quick to go up, Rowe coming from behind looked impossible to be called off? A bad call and one that could in the end cost Boston survival.
Late on, Oldham had their best spell of pressure as the home side looked to get men behind the ball for a point, a free kick by Fondop the closest they would come, his curling dipping effort from the edge of the area didn't dip enough, cannoning out off the top of the crossbar, fine margins on the night, but perhaps neither did enough to win the game outright.
The Stars
Boston's fans seemed happy and appreciative of their teams performance when the Referee finally blew his whistle to end the match, their good form under Coughlan now reads twelve points from their last nine games, conceding much less than earlier in the season, that form may have coincided with the return of goalkeeper Cameron Gregory who is as solid as they come at the level.
In defence, Jai Rowe on the right has probably been their player of the season, Zak Mills has steadied the ship as a makeshift centre half since missing parts through injury, he reads the game so well, as does young Connor Teale who myself, and my friend from Grimsby, sat besides me, thinks will go on to have a very good career indeed.
In midfield, Dylan Hill and Frankie Maguire are tiresome with their work, and notable was the improved fitness levels of striker Jacob Hazel, who now playing every week, looks leaner, fitter and far more effective with confidence, as is Brad Nicholson who returned to Boston from Scunthorpe United where he wasn't getting in, the Boston players remember, unlike many in the National League, are only part-time, but that didn't show on the night, with great energy levels employed against very good opposition.
As for those good opponents, an experienced team with decent players in all departments, they have an impressive young left back in Jake Leake, in defence Charlie Raglan was solid at centre half next to Shaun Hobson, Reagan Ogle is a right back I always like the look of, the Australian spending the last couple of seasons previously at Scunthorpe, he gets up and down well, in midfield Tom Pett, picking up the ball deep and breaking down the opponents play, is a classy little number, whilst the lively Joe Pritchard, a player I scouted at MK Dons who he recently signed from, is a footballer who plays with energy and is always looking to create in the final third.
In attack, the leggy Mike Fondop, a journeyman at the level, was a threat when supplied with service which he didn't get a lot of, he was inches away on a couple of occasions to adding to his tally of 15 goals for the season.
The Verdict
I didn't get the goal I wanted, stuck on 199, but whilst the point was perhaps two dropped for both clubs, I think when all said and done, it'll be remembered as a good point for each. Oldham are still in with a shout of the playoffs, whilst Boston still have slim hopes of staying up.
The Teams
Boston United: Cameron Gregory, Cameron Green, Jacob Hazel (James Gale 70), Jai Rowe, Connor Teale, Brad Nicholson, Jimmy Knowles (Adam Marriott 70), Jordan Richards, Frankie Maguire (Keaton Ward 70), Zak Mills, Dylan Hill.
Oldham Athletic: Tom Donaghy, Reagan Ogle, Charlie Raglan, Shaun Hobson, Jake Leake, Tom Pett, Tom Conlon (Jordan Rossiter 55), Joe Pritchard, Matt Worthington (Billy Waters 73), Jes Uchegbulam (Vimal Yoganathan 79), Mike Fondop.
7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 4th March 2025, Jakemans Stadium, Boston (att 1,695).
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