Not Flat

It seems a long time ago now that Nigel Preece’s Peterborough Sports match report for Bulls News was simply and accurately entitled ‘Flat’. Tuesday’s win against Brackley was anything but flat, and as far removed from a dour 1-0 sort of match as you could wish for. The commitment shown by all the players was nothing short of magnificent.

Something that is flat is Lincolnshire, and that’s where the Bulls head for on Saturday for a National League North clash with Boston, looking to record a third league win on the bounce and continue to move up the table.

I could be wrong, but I’m struggling to think that a single significant foot was put wrong throughout the team on Tuesday. The side has now become very difficult to score against, and you don’t need to be a genius to realise that that makes more wins more likely than in the recent past. Aaron Skinner is looking like a properly good full back, and Ollie Southern slotted in seamlessly on the other side of the resolute Howkins and Cameron partnership. All that, and Paul Downing is rumoured to be on the point of return from injury too.

If Southern and Lassana Mendes are representative of the quality of the League of Wales generally, I’m amazed that TNS don’t win the Champions League every season.

A potent attacking threat from out wide will presumably come again here from Adam Livingstone and Yusufu Ceesay. In what was a true team performance in midweek, I thought Livingstone’s contribution was as significant as anyone’s as he looks to revel in a role higher up the pitch. On the left, Ceesay is of course exciting to watch as a flair player, but getting back and doing the unglamourous stuff is part of his game too.

It is of course now a given that Curtis Pond’s outstanding performances are the norm to such an extent that he can no longer count as a man of the match nominee without it being a grossly unfair competition.

The last time Jason Cowley was let loose in the east of England he scored a fine striker’s goal at Kings Lynn. If he came through his hour against Brackley unscathed he’ll presumably start again here alongside Ethan Freemantle, and will consider himself due a goal.

Last season was one of underachievement for Boston given the size of the club and its budget. They finished 15^th, one place above Hereford. However, manager Ian Culverhouse knows his onions at this level, winning promotion with Kings Lynn a few seasons back with a side that wasn’t averse to finding a way to win in whatever way necessary, and having been in post for a year (which is long-service gold watch territory for football managers of course) it’s now very much ‘his’ squad.

In the ex-Bull category, Ben Pollock left the club for Spennymoor in the summer, whilst Kelsey Mooney joined from relegated Leamington. He has scored four goals so far in a side that hasn’t really hit its stride yet in front of goal.

The Pilgrims are just a point behind the Bulls in 14^th place, with the middle of the table already shaping up to be as squashed as it always seems to be by the end of the season, where the much-of-a-muchness teams are unable to find the consistency to break clear and join the few at the top with any real quality. The Bulls have the chance to do just that between now and Christmas, with two games a week now for the rest of the year.

The hosts have won just one of their last six, and the edge in terms of confidence would appear therefore to be with the away side. One gets the feeling that the Hereford squad currently can’t wait to play games, and to play them on the front foot as one dynamic unit, whereas last year it occasionally seemed more like a disparate group of individuals full of trepidation.

As suggested above, Boston aren’t a particularly prolific side, so this may be another game decided by a single goal when also factoring in the Bulls’ scoring record, but with Cowley back that may start to change. A repeat of last season’s 4-2 Bulls victory at the Jakemans Community Stadium looks unlikely, but certainly wouldn’t be unwelcome. This time, however, it just seems hugely unlikely that the Hereford defence would concede two goals.

On Tuesday Boston lost 2-0 at Farsley, which is encouraging form from a Bulls perspective as it was the first time the Celts had won at home this season, a season that could be another one of struggle for them. The Lincolnshire side are a tougher prospect on their own patch though, having won five of the eight games they’ve played at home this season.

Another win here would set things up nicely for Tuesday’s game at home to Banbury, which could see a fit again Alex Babos looking to put a special performance in against his old club. The next league game after that is Buxton, which will be the fourth team beginning with ‘B’ in a row. Beat all the Bs and the top three may be within grasp.

COYW