Boston United 5-0 Corby Town

Midland League

3rd October 1955


It was 1955 when Boston United installed floodlights at their ground. The first match played under the lights was a Midland League game against Corby Town on Monday 3rd October. The fact that Boston United were the first non-league club in the Midland League to install floodlights was a big attraction. Coaches from all over Lincolnshire brought spectators to the match. Organised parties arrived from Lincoln and Skegness. The large crowd broke the ground's attendance record as more than 9,000 people were packed in. Initial reports suggested an even bigger crowd of over 11,000, but it was eventually realised that this figure had been incorrectly calculated by double counting the people in an enclosure inside the ground. The lights were switched on by Mr J Richards - the chairman of the Midland League. Before the switch-on Mr Richards addressed the crowd. He said that he was delighted to be there that evening to take part in the inauguration of the lights which brought a new chapter to the history of the club. Sooner or later, he said, if Boston continued the way they were doing they might find themselves in a higher sphere of football. "I say good luck to you." He understood further projects were on hand - a new stand and improvements to the dressing rooms. They had good directors and a manager who was doing a good job of work and he wished them well. Before the game and during the interval the band of the Army Cadet Force entertained the crowd with military music. The Mayor (Councillor E.A. Arnold) and the Deputy Mayor (Councillor W.A. Midgley) were among the guests in the Directors' box.

Playing in new shirts that glowed under the lights, Boston got off to a perfect start. Vic WALKER pounced on a loose ball near the centre circle and moved forwards. Forty yards from goal he fired in a low hard shot and the keeper was slow in reacting and failed to stop the ball entering the net. Boston then conceded a free kick just outside the area when Vic Smith fouled Simmonds. Green took the kick and saw his effort strike the bar before going out of play. Corby then won a corner and Smith had to clear the ball off the goal-line after Green's header had looped over Ray Middleton in the Boston goal. At the other end Jimmy Whitfield had a shot that hit the post and then Steve Wheatley saw his shot parried by Corby's 'keeper Begg. Boston began to dominate the play and were unlucky not to increase their lead before half-time.

Three minutes after the restart Boston scored their second goal. Croy handled the ball from a corner and Jimmy BLOOMER scored from the spot kick. In the 55th minute WHITFIELD left two men standing before beating Begg with a low drive. Ray Wilkins then headed the ball forward to BLOOMER who scored Boston's fourth goal before and defenders could get to him. Five minutes from time the scoring was completed when Reg HARRISON scored from close range, hitting a hard drive that bounced off the underside of the bar before heading into the net off the 'keeper's body.

Jimmy Bloomer

The attendance record only lasted five days as when local rivals Peterborough United came to Boston for another Midland League fixture on the following Saturday the crowd was 9,656.

Boston United: Ray Middleton, Vic Walker, Geoff Snade, Don Hazledine, Vic Smith, Johnny Birkbeck, Reg Harrison, Ray Wilkins, Jimmy Bloomer, Jimmy Whitfield, Steve Wheatley.

Corby: Begg, Allan, G. Harrison, Baird, Croy, Connors, McCabe, Green, Simmonds, J. Adam, C. Adam.

Attendance: 9,345


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