Tom At The Double (Again)

Boston United 2-1 Scunthorpe United (National League)

After a torrid run of results which ended most recently with a 4-1 thumping at Tamworth, Scunthorpe United Manager Andy Butler has been sacked with his side sitting in the relegation places a place behind Boston who occupy the fourth placed drop zone slot in the National League, but who are five points above their Lincolnshire rivals who they host today.

Never would I have predicted Scunthorpe, who made last seasons playoff places, would be so low this season so far, but in losing the likes of Cal Roberts, Oli Ewing, Danny Whitehall, and having not replaced them well enough, little surprise is their current predicament ahead of a must win derby day live on DAZN.

It’s a 5:30pm start today so I have a bit of a lie in, before taking the dog out, the wife nips to the gym before coming back and asking me to help clean the house, I’m thinking to myself I probably prefer my usual Saturday routine of getting out her hair early, but at least get to watch a bit of Chelsea verses Manchester United before setting off towards the Jakemans.

It’s a game I get to cover quite a lot, a big match in the division, a Lincolnshire derby but not really a derby? 64 miles separates the two sides venues, the Iron located in the north of the county, Boston very much in the south.

The Pilgrims won their last league meeting between the two 6-3 at Glanford Park last season, but the clubs last met only a couple of weeks ago, in the FA Cup where Scunthorpe won 3-1.

As I head East and out the door, I’m not sure what to expect today? Boston scraped a much-needed win against bottom of the table Gateshead last time out thanks to two late goals by Tom Cursons, previously they hadn’t won in seven, whilst Scunthorpe have lost their last four in the league.

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The Venue

I’ve arrived with mist in the air a good hour and half before kick-off, it’s surprisingly quiet as I park closer to the ground than I would have predicted, I’m collecting my ticket for 4pm where I spot James the scout from Stats Perform in the queue ahead of me. He’s been away to Prague so tells me all about it as we wait for the turnstile doors to open, we are first inside the stadium concourse as I order a chicken Balti pie and brew, I ask for chips but apparently they haven’t even started cooking them yet.

We have a good chinwag whilst watching the results of the 3pms come in, upstairs the Scunthorpe press team are all in force, a lad from Genius who goes home and away with the club, the secretary, tweeting team, radio commentators, they are all here, and they have asked us kindly to move from our usual seats today, as they don’t like to be separated.

Not one to moan I’m happy to oblige and I get sit with Steve Torpey who’s on radio duty tonight. The former Iron frontman is a nice fella, talks with a southern twang and scored 76 goals in 280 games for the Iron. We discuss the ‘game changing’ ahead of kick off as one fella points out ‘the National League has improved since you were in it Steve’… “National League?” is his reply. “I was football league sunshine”.

The Jakemans Stadium is slowly filling under the dark sky. The Scunthorpe United fans behind the goal are in voice singing Hi Ho Silver Lining with a bit of purple pyro, just 400 in attendance from them today which is low, but don’t forget they were here a couple of weeks back, don’t forget their team have been playing miserably.

It’s a wonderful stadium though is the Jakemans, now it’s all (almost) complete. A modern football facility that will no doubt be attractive to anyone who comes here to play, it feels like it is a club with potential, whilst Scunthorpe are bigger, no doubt Boston is better, right now the Pilgrims are in a much brighter place.

The Game

There’s a couple of minute’s silence ahead of kick off with the last post played as it’s that time of year when we are asked to proudly remember our heroes, Scunthorpe are in their claret shirts, sky blue shorts, Boston in amber and black, the Management duo taking the reigns today for the away side is Jacob Butterfield and Ross Barrows, neither have kitted themselves up despite both being signed on to play.

Scunny were 5-3-2 last time out but are 4-3-3 today, a much more routine shape with a strong looking back four and midfield three, but it’s up top which worries me? “Who’s been playing well” I ask the scout who watches them week in week out… “the goalkeeper” is his reply. Luke Brennan is out left, he’s been largely 'miss' since signing from Buxton, and when I suggest I liked the look of Patrick Jones when he played last season… “That was last season” was the reply of an unimpressed onlooker.

You feel the players are ok, the system is alright, but there is no game plan, no structure from their possession base in defence, everything is long, hopeful, aimless, James Norwood in attack is feeding off scraps.

It’s been a bright start from Boston, they look the more aggressive and confident team, and when Cursons nips in to get the ball ahead of Belehouan in the area, the striker is caught by the former Pilgrim, a penalty dispatched by the midweek two goal hero who grabbed his sixth of the campaign on minute fourteen.

The home side are well structured but for me lack something in the middle of the park. Apparently at the start of the season Boston went all in for Jake Rooney, Niall Canavan and Jamie Grimes, expecting to get one or two, they got all three central defenders, and now it seems that Paul Hurst has to play them all to keep things sweet.

Rooney is in midfield today protecting a back four besides Terrell Agyemang and both do well, whilst out wide Boston have pace, Jack Holmes looks a good player, Ken Aboh is one I really like, todays full backs Georgie Gent and Sai Sachdev are putting in their best performances under my watch.

The Score

Scunthorpe have hardly tested Louis Chadwick but for the odd occasion, a ball over the top has Patrick Jones running at full speed, he’s dangerous out right and stings the palms of Chadwick, whilst the Iron win a succession of corners, and it’s from one of those, where the home side pick their visitors off.

A partially cleared corner finds Ken Aboh counter-attacking in space, he’s quick and carries the ball forward before playing towards Tom Cursons, the former Ilkeston and Harrogate Town front man has two players outside him but opts to go alone, striking from a good twenty plus yards hard and low right footed, it’s a bloody brilliant finish from a striker very much in form.

Cursons had been on the bench in recent games, 20 minutes in defeat at Eastleigh he came on and scored two verses Gateshead to get tonight’s start, he’s back in the side with two more goals, whilst Paul Hurst seems to like what Lenell John-Lewis offers without the ball as a number nine, you can’t help feel that Boston are a better (more dangerous) team when Cursons is in it.

At half time the Scunthorpe scout says to me “If I could leave now I would” as he’s not impressed with his teams performance. Steve Torpey is asking “why” Dan Batty is coming deep and collecting the ball in the centre half position when there’s nobody in the midfield area getting on it and playing it forward.

It’s a bit of a mess but I don’t think it has been too bad until the ball reaches the final third, ‘not enough from Norward and Brennan’, I suggest. “Norwood isn’t getting the service” says Torpey.

I’m surprised there’s no changes at the break from Scunthorpe who do come out on the front foot, and they do get a goal within ten minutes of the restart, a hopeful ball pumped into the box has Norwood beat the offside trap, time stands still as the striker takes a touch and buries home. That’s what he can do with service.

It’s a good goal but there’s suggestions it came off his hand, Niall Canavan is arguing with the Referee who almost consults with the linesman, before deciding upon going with his gut and giving the goal.

That you expect to really bring the game into life but whilst Scunthorpe add attacking reinforcements in Declan Howe and James Gale, Boston manage the game pretty darn well. The home side limiting opportunity as they defend very well, it’s feisty, competitive, full bodied, at times almost looking like it will turn to blows, but never does, the only real threat to Boston not taking three points is the mist in the air, which is clearing by the time the injury time board goes up. Scunthorpe bring three more attacking players on, but neither get a touch, as Boston keep the ball in the corner, and time runs down towards a huge three points for Paul Hurst's side.

The Stars

I joked pre-game that Tom Cursons, not completely loved by his own manager, might be a good shout for Scunthorpe “that would cost money” said one of their scouts.

But Cursons for me is a must at the level, whilst far from being the finished article, he’s certainly one of the best finishers in the division.

Boston were brilliant down the flanks, Ken Aboh is tricky and talented, behind him at right back Sai Sachdev on loan from Sheffield United had a cracking match, front foot, aggressive, he did things which I’ve not seen him do previously, and that is take the match by the scruff of its neck. Well played.

Likewise on the left, Georgie Gent was good at left back whilst in front of him, the short, stubby looking Jack Holmes never stopped running, it was a night where putting a shift in mattered, and the harder they worked, the better chance that Boston had of seeing off Scunthorpe’s limited attacking threat.

The away side flattered to deceive, in large parts lacking ideas, they used the pace of Paddy Jones down the right, but not much else threatened the Boston back four, Dan Batty worked hard from deep in midfield, some say too deep, Alfie Beestin tried to get things going in the attacking third, he's one of their better players, but other than scraps, 36-year-old James Norwood leading the line, had very little to go on.

The Verdict

A massive three points for Boston who climb out of the bottom four and go eight points above Scunthorpe who are now very much in trouble deep down in the division.

The Iron have a seven-point gap already above them to get towards any chance of safety, managerless and with a squad lacking cohesion and identity, I’m not sure where they go from here?

One name mentioned was former Notts County and York City Manager Stuart Maynard who is used to having bigger budgets but at least knows the level. He may fancy himself as better than relegation fighting fodder after winning the National League last season, but out of work since the summer, it may be a win/win for both should he decide to take the job? Someone of Maynard's ilk can only be a positive move for this team very much in trouble.

The Teams

Boston United: Louis Chadwick, Sai Sachdev, Niall Canavan, Jamie Grimes, Georgie Gent, Jack Holmes (Gavan Holohan 90), Jake Rooney, Terrell Agyemang (Levi Sutton 86), Ken Aboh (Ollie Bostock 86), Lennon Wheeldon, Tom Cursons (Lenell John-Lewis 86).

Scunthorpe United: Maison Campbell, Joe Starbuck, Jean Belehouan (Stan Ashbee 89), Will Evans, Tyler Denton, Jordan Richards (James Gale 62), Dan Batty, Alfie Beestin, Pat Jones (Oli Rose 89), James Norwood (Kyle Hurst 89), Luke Brennan (Declan Howe 62).

5:30pm Kick Off. Saturday 31st October 2026, Jakemans Stadium, Boston (att 2,012).