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Archived News from August 2005

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
26th August 2005 21:32


After the superb League Cup 1st round performance against Championship side Stoke at Field Mill, which saw the Potters being kayoed 3-0 on penalties after the teams had been dead-locked on 1-1 after extra time, the Stags now travel to the Lincolnshire coastline to face Boston, who themselves were beaten 1-0 at Sheffield United in the same competition.

In the League, the Boston Pilgrims have yet to win this season as their previous two home fixtures have been drawn, the latest 2-2 to a Stockport side which shortly may have an ex-Stag in their line-up as Tony Vaughan has been linked with a three-month loan from Barnsley.

Both sides come – in League Two – from disappointing away defeats. The Stags were much below par in the second half at Peterborough, losing 2-0, while Boston fared even worse, having crashed 3-0 at Cheltenham.

When the sides met last November, the Stags had off-the-field problems while Boston were in the top half of the table – and fought out a goal-less draw at York Street in a fixture in which Kevin Pilkington saved a Boston penalty just before half-time. That incident also saw a Boston player red-carded – and the Stags were closer to a win than the Pilgrims.

The return fixture was the Stags final home league game last season, being won 3-2 – and the Stags hit three home league goals under Carlton Palmer for the first time. More on that one is to be seen in the Stagsnet Match Reports section for last season, click on archived fixtures.

The teams played each other very frequently in the 1920's, the decade prior to the Stags' election to the old division 3 (S) way back in 1931. And our opponent then wasn't the current Boston United FC, as there prior to the formation of the current Boston side a Boston FC existed. That club went bust early 1933 – details on that weren't known by the time of doing last season's previews – and only known a few days before the game at Boston in November due to visiting the Boston United website – and the current club was founded later in 1933.

On the Saturday after the Cheltenham home game two seasons ago, the Boston United “Pilgrims” visited Field Mill for the first time ever. And the Stags earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory. After Weatherstone had given Boston the lead midway through the first half, Mendes equalized a few minutes later – and early on in the second half, he also got the winner – two cracking strikes. And the return fixture at Boston in April was also won to a 2-1 score-line (all goals coming in the second half) thanks to Larkin and an Ellender og challenged by Lawrence, Balmer then pulled a goal back for the Pilgrims.

This was the first time since 1930-31, then in the Midland Counties League, that the Stags have faced a Boston side in league fixtures. In those days, the Stags did score at least once in their 10 home fixtures compared to a measly five away goals, one win and one draw at Boston.

In the 20's, the biggest Stags win was a 7-2 on October 22, 1927 and the scorers were Morfitt 2, Keetley 3, Fisher and Roe. When the Stags notched their only non-league victory at Boston on September 8, 1923, Death and Donovan hit the back of the net once each.

The teams last non-league meeting at Field Mill took place on September 27, 1930 when the Stags won 3-0 courtesy of strikes from Murphy (2) and Hargreaves. When the teams drew in the last non-league fixture at Boston on January 17, 1931, Goddard was credited as the Stags scorer.

And during that period of time, they also crossed their FA Cup swords on one occasion. This happened on November 28, 1925 when goals from Heathcote and Hart weren't enough to see the Stags progress as Boston ran out 5-2 winners at their place. The worst Stags reverse in the Midland Counties League days was a 0-5 on May 3, 1930.

There have also been lots of players figuring for both sides. Among them are some 1970's stalwarts such as Kevin Bird and Barry Foster. Bill Curry, starring in the 1964-65 Stags side that nearly were promoted to the 2nd division, managed Boston when they in 1973-74 fixed a very creditable FA Cup 3rd round goalless away draw at Derby County. But the replay was lost 1-6 in front of 12000 at York Street (surely an attendance record for that ground). Another 1960's Stag, goalie Colin Treharne, also appeared for the Pilgrims. And Ernie Moss, a player who should easily fit in the writer's all-star XI of Stags / Spireites player connections, saw off his excellent playing career at Boston. Most recently, Gareth Jelleyman started last season at Boston as a loanee – and finished it at the Stags, but did not feature in the game on April 30, 2005.

Played for both sides (including Boston FC before 1933): Keith Alexander, Craig Allardyce, Russell Allen, Brian Bates, Kevin Bird, Jack Bunting, Neville Chamberlain, Bernard Chambers, Stephen Chambers, Steve Charles, John Coleman, Oliver Copestake, Charles Croft, Bill Curry, Digger Daley, George Darwin, Bert Davis, Paul Evans, Greg Fee, Barry Foster, Reginald Goodacre, Michael Hopkinson, Lee Howarth, Walter Hoyland, George Kennie, Mick Laverick, Noel Luke, Jim Lumby, Les McJannet, Lawrie Madden, Arthur Mann, Ernie Moss, Eddie Munnings, Kevin Noteman, Noel O'Brien, James Pearson, Brendan Phillips, Reginald Simms, David Smith, Ian Stringfellow, Colin Treharne, Imre Varadi, Mick Vinter, Albert Wilson, Chris Withe, Ernest Wright, (while in FL), Mark Clifford, Gareth Jelleyman, Andy White.

Played for Stags, later managed Boston: Bill Curry, Greg Fee, Arthur Mann, Peter Morris, Ernie Moss.

Stats file, covering the old Boston FC and current Boston United:

Non-league fixtures as Boston FC:

Home: P 10, W 6, D 2, L 2, GF 27, GA 15
Away: P 10, W 1, D 1, L 8, GF 5, GA 24

1921-22 2-1 1921-10-29 1-4 1922-04-06 Midland Counties League
1922-23 2-2 1922-09-30 0-1 1923-04-14 Midland Counties League
1923-24 2-1 1923-09-15 2-0 1923-09-08 Midland Counties League
1924-25 3-2 1925-03-01 1-2 1924-09-13 Midland Counties League
1924-25 3-0 1925-04-25 0-3 1925-04-18 Midland Counties League, secondary competition
1925-26 2-3 1925-10-17 0-2 1925-10-03 Midland Counties League
1927-28 7-2 1927-10-22 0-2 1927-09-10 Midland Counties League
1928-29 2-2 1928-10-03 0-4 1929-05-02 Midland Counties League
1929-30 1-2 1930-02-08 0-5 1930-05-03 Midland Counties League
1930-31 3-0 1930-09-27 1-1 1931-01-17 Midland Counties League

League fixtures as Boston United:

Home P 2, W 2, D 0, L 0, GF 5, GA 3
Away P 2, W 1, D 1, L 0, GF 2, GA 1

2003-04 2-1 2003-11-01 2-1 2004-04-17 Div 3
2004-05 3-2 2005-04-30 0-0 2004-11-20 League Two

FA Cup

1925-26 2-5 1925-11-28 (1st round at Boston as Boston FC)

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right)

Vastly updated players file courtesy of the history CD, some other details courtesy of the centenary book – and the Boston United website.

 

Latest | August 2005