Boston started brightly and dominated the first half. Hereford were listless and off the pace. You could say they were being tactically flexible playing 4-2-3-1, 4-4-1-1 and other variations. The play Livingstone high on the right tactic was repeated but did not work. Partly because Adam got poor service and also because he was unable to sustain the high standards he set on Tuesday. In reality most of the time it was 4-5-1. There was a lack of enterprise. On more than one occasion there would be a throw in
well inside the Boston half and the ball would be worked backwards for Pond to kick long and hopefully towards Cowley.
Boston peppered crosses and corners but the ball would not drop. Former Bull Kelsey Mooney has considerably developed his game. More flexible heading to the flanks, dropping back and with several timely passes creating chances, with one exquisite flick opening up the Bulls defence. Boston were playing good football and Hereford were struggling to sustain possession in their opponents half.
Hereford’s defence has been very good but this was a collective off day. Southern went down with an injury and seemed to walk it off but did not look entirely comfortable. He had a poor game, possibly not fully fit, certainly after his knock. His clearances finding Pilgrims too often and too close to goal. Howkins was similarly off par, slicing routine balls for deep throw ins which maintained pressure rather than releasing it. For Cameron he went from yin to yan . On Tuesday he seemed to have a preternatural ability to sense where the ball would be. A sort of ball magnet. In Lincolnshire at times the ball bounced by him in the box and it was only the poor scoring record of Boston which prevented them taking the lead.
The Boston trident of Mooney, Knowles and Ward interchanged with ease and created multiple opportunities with Pond saving well from Woods and Martin. Martin was especially influential in the middle of the park getting the better of the Bulls prompting and probing.
Hereford fans started to cling to the hope that they might squeak to half time on level terms and Caddis could sort things out. Midfielder Martin came unchallenged through the inside left channel. He tacked wider to reverse a ball to striker Knowles who came to join him in the acres of space. Knowles turned and struck a superb shot to score but it was an awful goal to concede.
Neither defensive midfielder Teixiera nor Mendes sensed the danger early enough. Babos did not track back. Howkins let Knowles go and did not organise someone else to lock on. I am unsure who should take responsibility but the two Pilgrims were allowed the time and space which the Bulls have been routinely denying teams in recent weeks.
Hereford were fortunate to go in only one goal down. Caddis withdrew Southern and brought on Pugh. Pugh played central midfield with Mendes moving to wide right, Livingstone switching to left back and the versatile Skinner flipping from left to right back. Pugh brought greater combativeness at the back. However, he failed to play an incisive forward pass. Nonetheless he made things harder for the Pilgrims.
When Mendes looked to get free on the right, Nicholson tactically fouled him and was booked by referee Kennard-Kettle who had a good game and looked younger than most of the players. Ceesay put in a cross which everyone missed and it clipped off the far post.
Boston still looked the more likely and Woods hit a cracking long distance free kick which hit the crossbar. The Pilgrims right back Rowe picked up a knock and was replaced by Hill. Freemantle came on for Mendes. Livingstone was booked. Mooney created a golden chance for himself but when well placed centrally he shot wide to continue his goal drought. Woods who had troubled Hereford was injured and Edge came on.
Hereford went for it taking off Teixiera and bringing on Tolley who played wide right. Freemantle went up front with Cowley. In extra time Hereford finally created two golden chances Cowley heading Skinner’s cross on target with Gregory making an excellent reaction save.
Then a scramble saw the ball bounce high to Cameron at the far post and he nodded just wide. The whistle blew straight after.
Boston’s keeper had a fine afternoon taking a succession of mostly poor corners from Livingstone and Babos. It was a better second half and all three substitutes improved things. Perhaps the best thing is that so many players played below par at the same time and the team only lost by one goal. Even with things not going well the ruthless professionalism of the Bulls offside line repeatedly caught out Pilgrim attackers.
Pass of the day was a delightful high clipped ball out to the left wing by Teixiera. Ceesay thought it was overhit and did not commit to it, but it had lots of check on it and Yusifu sped forward and won a throw in, but if he had believed in the quality of the ball it could have been a better opportunity. There were not many contenders for man of the match. The best news was that Cowley got through ninety minutes. Even feeding off scraps he found a lot of space in the first half teeing up Livingstone for a great shooting opportunity which was miscued. At the end he almost equalised.
A goal should be coming soon as he comes back to form and fitness.