Boro turn on the style to sink Ferriby

A supreme second-half performance carried Scarborough Athletic to a 3-1 victory against North Ferriby United on Tuesday night.
Boro reportBoro report
Boro report

It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance from Boro, going from one of their worst 45 minutes of football in the first half, to one of their best after the break.

After the 3-2 win at Hyde on Saturday, the home fans were keen to take in more of the same, but instead, Boro crawled away to a dismal start.

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The long-ball style, that clearly doesn't work in this division, resumed and James Walshaw found himself crowded out by the big Ferriby centre-backs.

At the other end Boro looked nervous and, following on from another trait of this division, they were punished on 16 minutes.

Kev Burgess' backpass didn't have enough legs, Luke Hinsley lifted it over Tommy Taylor and then felt the full brunt of his challenge.

Luke Lofts strode forward to the penalty spot and swept Ferriby a goal to the good.

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Boro stepped up their game a touch after this, but in their panic they rushed passes which caused errors.

The large home crowd, already frustrated by the Ferriby goal, continued to groan and moan with every mistake the home side made.

There was almost a chink of light in the dullness 10 minutes before the break when the ball dropped to Michael Coulson in the box. His drive was blocked by a wall of green and white on the line, the rebound fell to Leon Scott, but he lashed it over.

Then, right on half-time, Burgess rose well in the Ferriby box, but his looping header flew just over the bar.

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The half-time tea had revitalising qualities, as Boro looked a completely different side when the referee's whistle re-started the action.

They laid siege to the Ferriby goal, as the composure leaked swiftly out of the East Yorkshire outfit.

It was beginning to look as though it wouldn't be Boro's night, before they finally hauled themselves back on terms with 25 minutes left.

Will Annan's dancing run into the box fed Coulson, his low shot was saved and skipper Kev Burgess turned home after pirouetting delightfully.

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There was more to come from Boro and Steve Kittrick's men turned the game on its head after more gauge-shattering pressure.

Josh Lacey let rip from the edge of the box and Brooksby had the piece of mind to stick out a toe and divert it into the bottom corner.

Brooksby almost added to his tally seconds later when he whipped a sweet free-kick just inches past Ferriby keeper Lewis Exall's post.

Boro eased off the accelerator after this, but they kept their foot firmly on the Ferriby throat.

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Walshaw came close to piling more pressure on the visitors when he was neatly played in on goal, but he was frantically crowded out before he could pull the trigger.

The killer blow was finally struck in injury time when Brooksby collected the ball brilliantly, charged at goal and lifted over an advancing Exall, wrapping up a cracking second period.