Boston United find respite in the FA Cup
Boston Standard sports editor Duncan Browne reflects on the Pilgrims’s season so far ahead of this Saturday’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie against Stratford Town.
AS preparation for the new season goes, Boston United’s couldn’t have gone much worse had it been an episode of Some Mothers Do Have ‘Em.
Catastrophe after catastrophe blighted Craig Elliott’s plans this summer with Covid sweeping through the camp and injuries picked up by key players including ‘keeper Peter Crook, defenders Scott Duxbury and Matt Tootle, wingers Joe Leesley and Jay Rollins, plus team-mates Andi Thanoj, Paul Green, Jake Wright jnr and Jordan Preston.
Marquee summer signing Andy Butler arrived from League One Doncaster Rovers, played one county cup match and decided to join Peterborough United as their set-piece coach.
If that wasn’t enough, Thanoj and Rollins are now serving five and one-month respective bans after being caught up in an investigation into gambling.
Historic bets placed as far back as 2015 are hitting the Pilgrims in the present. Add all that together and it’s little surprise United – among the early title favourites – find themselves mid-table and playing catch up.
However, they have found some respite in the FA Cup. A strong run in 2019 re-energised the club as they reached the second round, taking League One Rochdale to a televised replay in front of a crowd of 4,000 and missing out to a late penalty.
That run created a belief and togetherness in the club which saw the Pilgrims reach the 2020 play-off final, only to lose out 1-0 to Altrincham. After Covid forced Boston to forfeit last season’s tie against Hemel Hempstead, they are looking for more success this year.
Stratford will be the third home tie against lower-league opposition for United in the competition so far this season.
Having already beaten Corby Town (6-0) and East Thurrock (4-0) at their brand new Jakemans Community Stadium, Elliott will be looking for a perfect hat-trick at the expense of the Bards.
