With Roddy Collins reading the riot act in the previous 24 hours and Trevor Molloy leaving Brunton Park, the selected eleven players responded in the best way possible, although the visitors could have been ahead early on. A mix up in the Carlisle defence allowed Stuart Douglas in and his chip came back off the cross-bar. It was the let off that United needed. First of all Wake set up Foran who fired over. The on 13 minutes a free kick from the left wing by David Freeman was met first time by Wake who neatly clipped the ball home with the outside of his right foot. The confidence began to run through the team and after 22 minutes the lead was doubled. Richie Foran, the subject of transfer speculation in the week, was shoved inside the box and referee Ilderton, who played a blinder, pointed straight to the spot without hesitation. Foran took the kick and drove low to keeper Paul Bastock's left. The Boston custodian was unlucky as he got a solid hand to it but the ball's momentum took it on into the corner of the net. Home debutant David Freeman tried a clever attempt with the outside of his foot but his shot from just outside the box was narrowly wide. The lead became 3-0 after 33 minutes. United pressure became incessant with a series of shots blocked as the Boston defence were pushed back into their own half. Finally the ball flew in from Freeman, was headed back across by Foran and bundled in by Wake. The game may have appeared all over at that stage but the United defence got another of the wobbles and allowed the visitors back into it. Again it was Keen and Shelley unable to clear a simple ball in, Douglas getting in to play the ball across and Jamie Cook was on hand to score with ease. At 3-1, the game could have changed dramatically but United made sure it didn't with a killer fourth goal on the stroke of half-time. Again it was Foran playing provider with a header from the right across goal and Wake had a simple enough task to claim his first Football League hat-trick. It was just a case of holding on to what they had for United in the second half as Boston always looked likely to capitalise on slip ups at the back. United eased off and chances rather dried up. The pacy Brendan McGill came more into the game with his crosses not quite up to standard. The visitors claimed a goal back through the lively Douglas when he spectacularly drilled home a scissors kick after a set-up from Paul Ellender, who had been pushed up into attack by Pilgrims' boss Neil Thompson. With over 20 minutes left, Collins had to react to keep his lead intact and brought on Mick Galloway to shore up the midfield. United looked to extend their lead and Murphy's fine dash down the left channel brought a shot that was fired just wide of the left hand upright. Shelley headed dangerously across the box and almost presented the visitors with a third goal but Keen came off his line to smother. A late incident involving Foran and Ross Weatherstone, which saw the Boston player fall to the ground clutching his face, again brought out the best in referee Ilderton. A stern word to both players involved rather than cards brought a round of applause from the crowd. A real miracle - fans clapping a Third Division official! Al's verdict: So we're not as bad as some people thought after all. A shame less than 4,000 were present to see the best home display of the season to date. Wake's hat-trick will give him bags of confidence but if anything the best player on the pitch was his partner Foran who was a real fulcrum in attack, holding players off and setting up two goals as well as winning and scoring the penalty. In midfield Summerbell was a revelation, winning the ball and delivering good passes and crosses. There were a few too many wobbles at the back though, the absence of Whitehead perhaps playing a part. |
