Boston Utd 2 Nuneaton Town 1

Saturday 23rd April, 2016;

Boro lost this vital game as their play-off dreams were left hanging by a thread in Lincolnshire.

Taking on a Boston United team that were a point ahead of them in the table before kick-off – but who had played a game more – Nuneaton knew that they simply had to avoid defeat, whereas Boston knew they had to win and nothing else.

A point may have been enough for the Boro going into the game, but they did not start like a point was what they wanted.

In fact the game was less than a minute old when the visitors threatened to break the deadlock,
Vamara Sanogo beat his man, but not the keeper, though, as Fabian Speiss got down low to push his shot wide of the post.

Boston were the ones who had to win and they responded in kind, with a half chance that crept just wide.

After that start there looked like there would be goals in the game – the only surprise was it took until the 19th minute for it to come.

With his pace and trickery Sanogo would have been many people’s tip to grab it, he did, but it was with his head as the Boro front man found room in the box after a corner and sent a bullet header past Speiss and into the back of the net.

The lead was deserved, but it could have been short-lived, as almost straight from the kick-off Scott Garner sent a header crashing against the Boro bar.

That reprieve was not one that Nuneaton took advantage of, though, as Boston pegged them back seven minutes before the break with what can only be described as a real goal of the season contender.

Kaine Felix was the scorer and it was a wonderful goal at that, the Boston number seven smashing a volley from the edge of the box that curled away from Jordan Smith and into the back of the net.

The goal brought the large home crowd to life and they continued to find their voice as the second half started.

They were given plenty more to sing about early in the half as a through ball out of nowhere completely dissected the Boro defence.

It found Jay Rollins in plenty of space and he sent in a fine shot which once again left Smith with no chance.

The home side continued to look the more likely to score after the goal as Nuneaton looked shell shocked and Smith needed to make a fantastic save to stop Rollins from putting the game to bed.

The Boro took until 15 minutes from time before they began to regain the initiative, but it was too little too late by then as Speiss was not needed to make a notable save in what was a poor second half by the visitors.

The result means that Nuneaton must now beat Bradford Park Avenue and then Hednesford on the final day of the season – and hope Boston drop points away at Stalybridge. A win for Corby at home to Harrogate could also see Boro in the play-offs.

FT: Boston United 2 Nuneaton Town 1

BOSTON UNITED: Speiss, Mills, McEvoy, Roberts, Brown, Piergianni, Felix, Garner, Southwell (Burgess 84), Hilliard, Rollins (Jones 77).
Subs not used: Robinson, Lavelle-Moore, Johnson.

NUNEATON TOWN: J.Smith, Warburton, C.Keane (Reid 86), Morgan, Maguire, Rowe-Turner, Scott, Byrne, Duffy (Ironside 67), Whitehouse, Sanogo (Waite 87).
Subs not used: Lane, De La Paz.

Attendance: 2,037