Boston vs Imps : Take 2

By Nathan Jackson
February 14 2005

City travel to Boston on Wednesday night looking to improve on an away record of 4 defeats in the last 6 games on the road. Boston however have stuttering home form losing 2 of the last 3. A win still wouldn't place Boston above City but it would put another dent in City's promotion hopes.

So we finally arrive to arguably the most important game of the season in the eyes of City and Boston fans........again. The game was postponed on Boston day due to a frozen pitch. City come off the back of their first defeat in 5 games that came after a draw and 3 wins. So this game is a case of the team with one of the best home records vs the team with the joint second best away record however, neither team's respective forms in these records have been good, City have lost 4 of the last 6 away games whereas Boston have lost 2 of their last 3 home games.

City go into Wednesday's game with Ciaran Toner and or Marcus Richardson who are both indefinatly suspended due to fighting in training last Thursday. Futcher is also still injured but Peter Gain is back from suspension. Defender McAuley could also be a doubt after limping out of Saturday's loss at Rochdale.

Most likely formation (Right to left)

Marriott

Bloomer        McAuley     McCombe      Morgan         Sandwith

Butcher            Gain

GTF          Yeo        Green

 

Ahh, Boston, the team from down the road. Gazza or G8 as he now prefers to be known (anyone still unconvinced he's a bit mad????) was a player coach at Boston earlier in the season before he unsuprisingly showed the dedication he's shown to teams in recent years and left. Steve Evans is also ready for his first match game against Lincoln at York Street after his 20 month suspension.

Boston's home record is one of the best in the division with only a handful of teams with a better record than them, however, that home form has wobbled in recent weeks with defeats to Swansea and Hartlepool and a draw with Bury after being 2-0 up. At York Street they have beaten some of the better sides in the division and their 8 wins have come against, Oxford, Chester, Cambridge, Scunny, Wycombe, Rushden, Darlo and Southend. 

The first league meeting between the twos sides came on August 24th 2004, City were confident of a victory and scored after only 5 minutes but Yeo's close range effort was ruled out for offside. Boston went on to win with goals from Simon Weatherstone and Daryl Clare, Yeo was also sent off for the Imps. The return game on boxing day saw the Imps take an 8th minute lead through Weaver. Midway through the second half, Boston got a corner despite the ball not going out of play, Boston scored from the resultant corner through Richard Logan.

Last season, City travelled to York Street on boxing day just like they were supposed to be this season, infact, the computer was seriously lazy this season with several fixtures being the exact same as last season, the game at Boston, both games at Yeovil were on the exact same weekends as well, they're just lazy at the FA these days, anyway, back to the point. It was a very cold day at York Street but Paul Ellender's foul on GTF in the 61st minute saw City get a penalty and it was smashed home by Mayo. The return game at Sincil Bank was Keith Alexander's first game back in charge after his life saving op. A 5th minute Neil Redfearn goal was cancelled out by Marcus Richardson in what was a fairly poor game.

This season saw the Imps take a 2-0 lead through Jamie McCombe and Francis Green and were heading for a comfortable victory with only 5 minutes to go before a controversial penalty decision against McAuley where the ball hit his hand when it was kicked less than a yard away. They put away the penalty and 3 minutes later Jason Lee headed in a G8 cross  with less than 1 minute to go.