SU POLLARD, BOSTON TOWN, DESBOROUGH TOWN AND MUCH MORE

BOSTON TOWN 1 V DESBOROUGH TOWN 3
UCL PREMIER @ THE DWB STADIUM
13 FEBRUARY 2016 --- 3PM

THE DWB STADIUM

Two first half goals from the visitors was the difference that gave Desborough Town the chance to secure all three points despite a spirited fight back from Boston Town which could just not find the finishing touches their efforts deserved.
Hooray probably for the first time in over 2 months the lead up to this weekends games had not been blighted by rain!  There was the danger though of some pitches still being unplayable so an early text conversation with The Poachers secretary Eddie had led to a confident declaration of 'game on' at just before 10am, thanks for the prompt reply it helped plan the day.

SKEGGY HERE WE CCOME, WELL BOSTON ANYWAY

A steady journey to base station where we booked our tickets from the lovely lady who is our regular clerk and she greeted us with two red heart shaped chocolates, thank you!  Our two carriage train gradually filled to the rafters but from the off today Mick and myself met some chatty and friendly people non more so than a guy on the Nottingham bound train who was originally from Barrow.  We chatted most things sport and even discussed his time as a red coat at a famous holiday camp in North Wales, something that would create a nice link to a later meeting.  Having departed the train at Nottingham and after a small comfort break the Boston train, bound for Skegness was awaiting us and it being a few years since I had last rattled along The Poacher line I was looking forward to a different journey.
Having pulled out of Grantham after a small wait for time and joined via the loop that led us onto the Skegness section of track we came to a sharp halt that jolted us all forward fearing we had probably hit something the driver and guard appeared at the front of the carriage.  It appeared however that a visitor to the toilet had pulled the wrong handle to flush!  We were soon on our way again passing through Sleaford, a town the blog has never visited and a new build ground that can be seen from the line as we departed the station eastwards.

HI DE HI ..................HO DE HO!

Our holiday camp link continued when upon standing up to depart at Boston I managed to be positioned by the side of a lovely lady who straight away got into conversation and the more the chat went on I realised by her accent who this was.  Lets say 'Hi De Hi' to Su Pollard of Peggy fame from the famous comedy series of the same name.  We had a quick chat about football, the emergency brake stop and her trip to see her mum on the east coast, before I plucked up the courage to ask if I could take her picture and before you ask I did not say 'Hi De Hi' but she was such a lovely friendly lady I'm sure she would have replied 'Ho De Ho'.

ST BOTOLPHS, THE STUMP

Time to depart had arrived and leave behind our star traveller as St Botolphs Church beckoned in the distance.  Otherwise known locally as The Stump I had climbed the tower in my younger years with my uncle following a trip from Skegness.

THEY DONT NEED SHELTERS IN BOSTON

A quick diversion to the bus interchange was made because we did think about catching a local bus to the ground at 2pm.  It has to be said though this interchange was very short of information and had only two shelters in its bays.  It looked really poor and certainly did not encourage us when we knew we could walk it to the ground in about 20 minutes.
The town was very busy and there were quite a few people about who were going to see Boston Utd who also had a home game today against Stalybridge.  The walk through the town was a blast from the past having visited many times in my younger years and remembering the old scrap style markets were we amazed at what was being sold, the central area looked very active and as we departed the town centre we headed off onto Tattershall Rd in search of Andy's Chip shop.
The said establishment was about to close in ten minutes but we made it in time and got into conversation about our visit it later appeared the business takes an advert out in the match programme so hopefully that would be encouraging to them having some visitors who were attending the club.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Within a short walk and no dropped chips we arrived on the edge of Witham Way Country Park which housed just inside its boundaries The DWB stadium the home of Boston Town.
I don't normally look at the history of clubs too much because they are readily available but a few points worth noting The Poachers formed in 1964 as Boston later to add 'Town' to their title and for a local link their record victory a few years later was a 12-1 defeat of Clay Cross Works in I guess the old Central Alliance.
As ever it wasn't long before Mick got into conversation with the small crowd of around 30 by kick off time and while I did a circuit he went off in purchase of soup.  The ground is a smashing affair with cover on all four sides the immediate entrance has The Poachers Bar further facilities in The Phoenix, to the opposite side of the turnstiles are the changing rooms and secretaries office.

THE BRIAN CURTIS STAND

Moving down the left hand side is The Brian Curtis stand with a decked raised standing area running 3/4's of the touchline.  Behind the far goal is locally known as the 'dog end' apparently gaining its name from the former dog track to its rear and here we have another covered standing area on raised decking.

THE DOG END

The opposite touchline has another 3/4 length stand which has a set of slightly less blue seats at its centre these were brought in from the former Chesterfield ground at Saltergate and from the Compton St stand.  The ground is large with plenty of hard standing too and its quite impressive for this level of football obviously this sort of set up requires constant attention to the spectator areas and I'm sure is very time consuming to the small band of volunteers here at Tattershall Rd.

CRAIG PARKER CROSSES FOR BOSTON TOWN

The first half saw most of the viewing take place close to the Brian Curtis stand were the local kop had gathered to create a cracking little atmosphere in this very small attendance of around 30.

THE POACHERS KOP IN GOOD VOICE!

Boston showed first when Craig Parker and Jason Field combined to set up Jordan Nuttell who saw his header force visiting keeper Chris Jones into a save low down after 11 minutes.
It was though the visitors who took the lead when Marvin Hill rose to head home from close range after 20 minutes.  Visiting keeper Jones was in good form again on 32 minutes when he saved from Jack Dykes.  Boston continued to loo for the equaliser and Nuttall had a couple of long range efforts with the goal looking open that fell wide before Desborough punished the home side in the second minute of stoppage time.  It was Aidan Bradshaw off the left that set up Jake Bettles who drilled home a convincing low shot to put the visitors 2 up at the break.
Soups all round at half time and to my amazement we sauntered up to the snack bar to be served straight away no queue and while Mick was paying [!] a comfort break also with no waiting also.

ITS ALL UNDER CONTROL

Boston started the second half at a fair old pace and within a minute of the re start Dykes had an effort cleared off the line before on 48 minutes Simon Ashton drove home at the far post to reduce the deficit.  The home side must have had a good re organisation at half time and were camping in the visitors half and it was Nuttell who again was in the right place but once again Jones in the visiting goal pulled off an excellent save.

JACK DYKES CLOSE TO THE ACTION FOR BOSTON TOWN

As so often happens in games were pressure does not result in chances taken the other side score and so it proved on 64 minutes when Jason Turner out muscled the home defence to slot past keeper James Doughty to make it 3-1 to the Northamptonshire side.
Still Boston pushed forward Terry Fleming had a cross goal shot fall just wide before visiting man of the match keeper Jones pulled off a full length save from a Jason Field 25 yard free kick with 9 minutes remaining.  By this stage I think Town had realised it was not going to be their day against a resolute visiting side with a keeper in good form.

A brisk walk back to Boston now on what had become an increasingly cold evening, non more so noticeable than in the second half, saw us with a little time to look around the town centre again and thankfully find a Coop for a few provisions. We located the train station and for what is a smart facade in the day time it has to be mentioned that in the dark of night it is a very disappointing advert for the rail network with little lighting and with the entrance and ticket office closed at 3.20pm it all felt rather a shame.

LOOKS GOOD IN THE DAY TIME BOSTON STATION

The journey back to Nottingham was uneventful enough with no more famous people or incorrect toilet flushes.  A leisurely connection to base station so our arrival at 8.10pm and all in all this had been an enjoyable day at a new ground while visiting a town that I had not seen for a little while.
Hopefully the blog will make a trip to Desborough for a visit soon but I wish Boston Town and their hardy band of volunteers all the best for their undoubted efforts for their club.