Stafford Rangers 0 Boston United 4
Blue Square Bet North
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Admission: press pass; Programme: £2 (44 pages from original date)
Mileage: 8.2 miles
Weather: cold, dry
Attendance: 260
Duration: first-half: 49:35 second-half: 47:34
First game for six days after family had to come before football on Saturday, though the game I missed was Stafford 0 Hyde 5! Fans voted with their feet and on a cold evening just 260 fans turned up at Marston Road (around 80 following the visitors), the lowest home league crowd for 45 years. Stafford Rangers proved no match for promotion-chasing Boston United who eased to a 4-0 victory with all the goals coming before half-time. The Pilgrims took the lead after just 33 seconds, added a second goal in the 28th minute, a third in the 31st minute and completing the scoring courtesy of a 41th-minute Jermaine Johnson own goal. Rangers rarely tested Boston keeper Dan Haystead though he did produce an excellent second-half save to deny Niall Maguire – one of only three efforts on target for the men in black and white. First-half injuries sustained by Craig McAughtrie and Levi Reid didn’t help Stafford’s cause.
