Harrison Park FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round Saturday 11th October 2014
Kidsgrove, Quorn, Skelmersdale, Lowestoft….. all lower league teams we have lost to in cup competitions in recent seasons (go back further and it’s Brigg and Congleton)… the draw had given us Tividale or Leek away… surely not again?
Leek won their replay 1-0, which I was happy about as I’ve not been there and they get better crowds so it would feel like a big game as opposed to playing at a ground I’d visited in preseason in front of 300.
The only problem with Leek is that Dr Beeching decided it (and Alton Towers of all places) was not worthy of a train line so it would be a train to Stoke followed by a bus (whose pickup point was 1.5 miles from Stoke station) to Leek. A total time of some 2 1/2 hours for a ground only 60 miles from my home in Kings Norton!
Having bumped into Reece at Brum and Shergy at Stoke followed by a lengthy walk at Reece’s pace (very slow) to Hanley Bus station (all before midday) we paid £5 for the bus to Leek and this was largely uneventful- barely anyone was on it and we went through some very hilly landscape on the 17 miles leg to Leek.
Now I admit when I planned the trip, I’d not done much research and thought Leek, being near Stoke, would be a bit shit. Actually it was far from it (although their bus stop was a bit iffy) and we soon found a dirt cheap, but really good chippy just outside the bus station.
A hold filled, we’d read about some good pubs in the area from a Leek fan who posted on the BUFC messageboard so decided to head towards the ground where these pubs were. The parts we wandered through were nice and we came across the Green Dragon. It was busy and we had to go outside (no problem as the weather was nice at this point) and were joined by another Leek fan and some Stockport fans having a day out. All were really sound and by 2pm we were ready to wander downhill to the ground.
Harrison Park is about 15 minutes from the town centre by foot and for the level they play at (Northern Prem Division 1 South) it is a good ground. Covered terraces at both ends, an elevated main stand with a paddock at the front and a mostly covered terrace down the other side. They average about 250 in the league games but were expecting 800 or more, though I suspect they were being optimistic by expecting 250 Boston fans! (Actual crowd 769). I paid my £7.50 adult fare, £1.50 programme and £1 on the raffle which I knew I’d never win but am too kind to tell the bloke to quietly sod off! A good chat with the assembled press and club officials killed time before the kick off.
Given our frankly disgraceful performance the week before against Hednesford, we were all nervous about slipping up. I can’t think of many Boston fans expecting an easy win- we shouldn’t have been complacent.
Some of our travelling support today
Backed by around 80-100 fans (poor for us) we almost let one in immediately but Sam Vince (his turn in goal today) saved well and we grew into the game quickly. Sadly home goalkeeper Ben Chapman decided he wasn’t going to give any gifts and made crucial saves from Scott Garner (the 2nd being a great one handed save). Chances also fell to Southwell and Newsham but somehow they hooked an effort wide of the post with the goal gaping.
Sadly that as as good as we got because the hosts blew 3 big chances to go ahead by half time. Vince denied Andy Kinsey before Liam Shotton somehow missed the rebound. Then a header was narrowly off target and Rene Steer had to clear one off the line.
The onslaught continued in the 2nd half and it was little surprise that before the hour, after a well worked move down the right, Leek scored through Shotton (son of Stoke’s Ryan). Greene went to plan B immediately, taking off the combative Kyle Dixon and throwing Scott Garner up front- playing into their hands.
Shotton puts Leek in front
The tie was then effectively over midway through the 2nd half after Steer got caught between putting the ball out for a throw and passing to Vince… he tried the latter but by that time his underhit pass was intercepted and the ball got laid back to Niall Maguire swept home to fury amongst the 50 or so Pilgrims who were gathered at the other end. The 650 or so home fans were jubilant and the atmosphere was, as you can imagine for a big game, pretty good, even if we were reminded very often that the Leek Town Boys were actually here!
In truth, we never looked like getting back in the game and at the end all we could do was shake hands with their keeper and wish him luck for the next round ( I just pray to God they get a draw like Southport/Altrincham away and not someone from a lower league or someone glamorous).
Dennis Greene has a lot to answer. Mark Jones is said to be returning on loan but again we lost in midfield. Liam Marrs is a shadow of the excellent full back of last year in his new midfield role. Liam Agnew was fantastic, Ricky Miller made things out of nothing, we had a settled back 4. Not now. Our strikers are living off scraps and one isn’t match fit.
Reece had a dodgy knee so the walk to the Town Centre took ages so we decided with time to burn, we could pay that chippy a visit. Hastily finishing the pie off before the bus went was eventful, but by now the weather had turned. As we got to Stoke and walked back to the station (which we arrived at just as a train to Brum arrived), I had filled up with crap in my throat from a lingering cold. Our side was filling up with crap and the grim possibility of 800 home crowds in effective pre season friendlies by March becomes a reality.
Prove me wrong Boston, please!
Leek (4-3-3): Ben Chapman; Dan Smith, Karl Espley, Darren Chadwick, Matt Bell; Anthony Danylyk, Sam Hall, Niall Maguire; Dan Shelley (Jordan Johnson 17), Andy Kinsey (Ryan Dicker 90), Liam Shotton. Subs (not used): Paul Donnelly, Tim Grice, Ashley Jackson, Sean Kinsella, Bradley Moorhead (gk).
Boston (4-3-3): Sam Vince; Zak Mills, Scott Garner, Carl Piergianni, Rene Steer; Liam Marrs, Jay Dowie, Kyle Dixon (Conor Marshall 62); Kaine Felix (David Fallah 83), Dayle Southwell, Marc Newsham (Danny Meadows 62). Subs (not used): Stefan Galinski, Greg Tempest, Niall Doran, Andy Hewitt (gk).
Referee: Steven Copeland.
Attendance: 769 (around 80-100 Boston)
Next up- I don’t know. I have family visiting me on the Hyde home game so that is out of the question. Hopefully we can arrange a game for 2 weeks as Gainsborough have cup commitments still. If not then, it could be Fylde at home in early November!
Thanks for reading
Josh
Under The Floodlights 