Pilgrims 0-0 Hull City

Avon Insurance League

by Craig Singleton

Impressive performances from midfield trial duo Colin McKenzie and Gavin Maughan were not enough to earn victory for Boston United Reserves on Wednesday night. The Pilgrims' second string drew their first game of the Avon Insurance League Division One East campaign against newly-crowned champions Hull City. The midfield pair shone in the York Street encounter, with McKenzie making his second appearance on trial from Hartlepool while Maughan is a free agent after leaving Scarborough in February. United's other two trialists were Ben Richardson of Notts County and Neville Roach, a striker currently plying his trade in the Ryman League with Basingstoke Town. The 24-year-old has scored 23 goals in 49 appearances so far this season after previous stints with Reading, Southend, Oldham, Torquay and Stevenage. It was Hull City Reserves' first visit to York Street for 46 years. Back in the 1957/1958 season, the Tigers' second string contested Midland League points with the Pilgrims' first team. And it was Boston who came out on top on that occasion with a 6-0 drubbing of Hull, with Ken Lewis leading the way with a hat-trick. Don Hazledine, Eric Lister and Johnny Garvie also netted. In 1957, 5,267 people watched the match. Almost five decades later, just 240 people turned out to watch this end-of-season game. However, those who were present saw another entertaining encounter, just like so many of the others served up by the reserves this season. It was Hull who came closest to opening the scoring early on. Jamie Heard's long lofted free-kick bounced over Michael Price's head and found Clayton Donaldson. He headed goalwards but was denied by a fine headed clearance from Ryan Clarke. Boston responded with Maughan drilling over from 18 yards, Richardson seeing a rising drive gathered by Paul Musselwhite and David Town drilling marginally too high. The Pilgrims had a further chance in the 23rd minute when Rob Dickinson was thwarted by a fine save from Musselwhite and Town saw his subsequent rebound header clear the crossbar. Hull almost took the lead on 40 minutes following good interchange play involving Ryan Williams and on-loan Grimsby striker Phil Jevons. The former crossed for Peter Turnbull whose header was only denied by a last-ditch Jamie Gould clearance.

It was Gould who provided the ammunition for the final chance of the half. He swung over a left-wing free-kick which McKenzie nodded just wide of the far post. Gould did not reappear after the interval. He was replaced by Simon Rusk, meaning a reshuffled United defensive line-up. And Hull almost took advantage of this as Jevons sliced through the home rearguard but dragged his cross-shot wide. On 50 minutes, Price made a good save to deny Jevons again and Boston went close on the subsequent counter-attack with Roach firing marginally wide from Dickinson's raking pass. Hull's Liam Chapman was booked for a reckless lunge on Roach while Donaldson was lucky not to follow him into the referee's notebook moments later after going in "studs up" on Price. The Boston keeper was unable to continue and was replaced by Nick Conroy. Boston continued to press and Town went close when he rifled an angled drive just over the bar following Lee Beevers' long throughball that deceived Chapman. Hull always looked menacing on the attack and Williams was beginning to cause problems as he enjoyed a free-role, supporting the front two of Jevons and Donaldson. Conroy's first test arrived on 64 minutes. But he passed it with flying colours when he spectacularly denied Jevons' point-blank range effort. Substitute Simon Weatherstone - on for Peter Costello - laid on a superb pass for Roach. But Musselwhite was on hand to parry Roach's effort wide. Back at the other end, Conroy made another good stop from Steve Burton's header. And then he blocked Donaldson's low shot while Lee Philpott fizzed the rebound effort just wide. Boston regained their attacking momentum with several close calls in the final 10 minutes. Beevers drilled a 25-yarder high and wide after advancing into Hull's half past two challenges, while Weatherstone fired off target from 18 yards. Musselwhite then made three good saves, tipping efforts wide from Town (twice) and Weatherstone. McKenzie, Richardson and Dickinson had supplied the respective crosses. Conroy made another good late stop from Jevons before Nathan Peat stormed down the left flank, running around 80 yards before eventually before screwing his miscued cross over the bar. It meant that both sides were forced to settle for a point as the Avon League season draws to its conclusion. Boston now have just three reserve games remaining, with trips to Mansfield and Notts County, plus a home clash with Darlington, left on the agenda.

United team: 1. Price (Conroy 62), 2. Costello (Weatherstone 62), 3. Gould (Rusk 46), 4. Maughan, 5. Beevers, 6. Clarke, 7. Richardson, 8. McKenzie, 9. Town, 10. Roach, 11. Dickinson.