Scarborough Athletic pay price for defensive errors in 4-2 defeat on the road at Rushall Olympic

Boro started brightly, Frank Mulhern crossed to the far post, and Luca Colville’s fierce volley was cleared off the line by centre-back Jordan Brown, then Michael Coulson passed to Alex Wiles in the area, but Tom Tonks slid in to hack clear, writes Steve Adamson.

Long throw specialist Tonks launched a series of high balls into the Boro goalmouth, with Ryan Qualter and Will Thornton heading clear, and keeper Joe Cracknell punching away, then Cracknell got down to save a 20-yard shot from Alex Moore, but the deadlock was broken when Jake Gosling sent a cross to the back post, and an unmarked Mantom stooped to head past Cracknell.

A foul on Mulhern on the left, gave Lewis Maloney a chance to fire in a free-kick, but he shot into the three-man wall, before Rushall doubled their lead when a Sam Whittall shot was blocked by Qualter, and the rebound fell to Tonks, who lashed his shot into the net from the edge of the area.

Alex Brown then headed back to Cracknell, but Dan Waldron intercepted, and fired against the legs of the onrushing Boro keeper.

Maloney fired a long-range strike a yard wide, and Colville back-heeled to Maloney, whose shot was headed clear by Whittall. Just before the interval, Mulhern‘s header from a Colville corner was scrambled off the goal-line.

A double substitution at the interval sparked an upturn in Boro’s fortunes, with Harry Green injecting pace down the left, and Weledji, on his 99th appearance, foraging down the right.

Green cut inside and fired past the far post, then on 52 minutes, Mulhern flicked on to Coulson, and his 25-yard shot was superbly tipped over by flying keeper Weaver.

Just as they were starting to dominate, Boro were hit by a sucker punch. Gosling passed to Mantom in the area, and his shot was gathered by Cracknell, who fell backwards, and the ball squirmed behind him into the net.

Boro pulled a goal back on 59 minutes, when Green battled for possession on the left, and passed inside to Brown, whose ball into the box was handled by a defender, and Mulhern struck the spot-kick low to the right of Weaver.

Five minutes later a superb passing move involving Colville and Green, led to Coulson’s shot being saved by a diving Weaver.

Rushall went 4-1 up on 68 minutes when Cracknell dived to push away Gosling’s 25-yard strike, but Mantom pounced to tap in the loose ball to complete his hat-trick.

The last 25 minutes saw Boro push four men forward, Green, Tear, Mulhern and Colville.

Maloney played a through-ball to Green, but Weaver dived at his feet to halt his run, then Colville played a superb reverse-pass to Green, who smashed his shot into the roof of the net to make it 4-2 on 76 minutes.

Alex Purver set up Colville, but keeper Weaver again dived to save his shot, then a Thornton header into the goalmouth appeared to be handled, but penalty appeals were dismissed by the ref.

A surging run from Green was ended by Whittall’s strong tackle, Dom Tear fired against the post, and a Mulhern cross was punched off the head of Tear by Weaver,

RUSHALL - Weaver, K.Green, J.Brown, Whittall, Gosling (Carvalho-Landell 77), Moore, Waldron (Clarke 80), Mantom, Maher, Nkalambi-Masidi, Tonks (Fletcher 65)

BORO - Cracknell, Maloney, A.Brown, Qualter, Thornton, Gooda (Weledji 46), Purver, Wiles (H.Green 46), Mulhern, Coulson (Tear 65), Colville

REFEREE - Harry Jones

GOALS - RUSHALL - Sam Mantom 13, 54, 68, Tom Tonks 24; BORO -Frank Mulhern 59(pen), Harry Green 76

YELLOW CARDS - RUSHALL - Jake Weaver, Sam Mantom

BORO - Ryan Qualter, Will Thornton

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown

ATTENDANCE - 502 (130 away)