Pilgrims 2-3 Newcastle United

Pontins Holiday League

by Craig Singleton

Three second half goals thwarted Boston United Reserves in an excellent Pontin's Holidays League fixture on Wednesday evening. The Pilgrims' second string were leading 2-0 at the interval in their match with Newcastle United, but goals from rising stars Lewis Guy, Martin Britain and Ben Webster ensured the Magpies left with the three points. Newcastle's comeback from a two-goal deficit was even more impressive considering that they played 84 minutes with 10 men after the dismissal of defender Peter Ramage. He was sent off for a reckless lunge on Peter Duffield in the sixth minute, leaving referee Gary Sutton with little option but to give him his marching orders. Boston raced into a 2-0 lead soon afterwards with the evergreen Neil Redfearn notching two excellent goals. He opened the scoring in the seventh minute, drilling home the resultant free-kick from 30 yards which left keeper Adam Bartlett well-beaten.

And Redfearn extended the lead in the 12th minute, smashing the ball home after Bartlett had parried Scott Brough's initial effort. Both sides wasted numerous chances to add to the scoreline, before Newcastle pulled a goal back through Guy in the 56th minute, when he rose to head home Britain's pinpoint cross. Newcastle equalised in the 78th minute when Britain curled home a stunning 25-yard free-kick which gave Steve Croudson little chance. And the Magpies snatched all three points in the 89th minute when Webster lifted the ball over Croudson and into the net after Boston had failed to deal with Britain’s centre. Boston included five trialists in their line-up, with non-contract player Scott Brough lining up alongside Frenchman Alain Hemminger, former Macclesfield winger Lee Hardy, ex-Queens Park Rangers full-back Danny Murphy and Middlesbrough defender Clark Smith.

United team: Croudson, Clarke, Hemminger, Smith, Murphy, Brough, Rusk (Sutch 57), Redfearn (King 72), Freeman, Hardy, Duffield. Sub (not used): Mahoney.