Scarborough Athletic work hard for 2-1 victory at Cleethorpes
Another good work-out as Boro won 2-1 at NPL East Division champions Cleethorpes Town on a superb playing surface, with both sides passing the ball around and creating decent chances.
Lewis Maloney and Alex Purver were again unavailable, and Alex Wiles rested an injury picked up at Ossett, but the trialist centre-back had another run out for Jono Greening’s side, writes Steve Adamson.
A heavy pre-match downpour gradually eased off as the game got underway, and Boro began brightly on the slick surface. Dom Tear fired over, and Harry Green’s through-ball to Rio Allan was cut out by Dan Gallimore.
The hosts then attacked, a Curtis Bateson shot was deflected wide by Kieran Weledji, and skipper Brad Abbott headed inches wide. Boro looked good going forward, both Green and Ste Walker eager to run at defenders and several chances were created.
A Luca Colville free-kick was deflected wide by Abbott, then Green squared to Colville, who fired narrowly wide. Alex Brown sprayed a long ball forward to Dom Tear, who passed into the goalmouth for Allan to slam home from close range. Walker then headed to Green, who shot wide, and just before the interval Michael Duckworth’s strong tackle foiled Josh Walker as he burst forward for Cleethorpes.
The hosts went close early in the second half, Ben Andreucci had a shot palmed away by Ryan Whitley, and Duckworth blocked his follow-up shot. Boro then doubled their lead with a terrific goal.
The outstanding Colville laid off to Green, who took a couple of touches before drilling a 25-yard shot past the dive of keeper Ollie Battersby into the bottom right corner. Green then flashed the ball across a crowded goalmouth, Tear fired into the arms of Battersby, Colville fed Green who shot just wide, and Walker teed up Bill Marshall, whose shot was blocked.
The latter stages were quite open, with Will Thornton and the trialist both getting in some good defensive headers. In further Boro attacks, a Bennett header from a Colville cross was pushed wide by the keeper, and a back-heel from Marshall blocked by a defender.
Cleethorpes mounted a late fightback, Whitley dived to save a low drive from Charlie Clements, then Clements intercepted a clearance from the Boro keeper and fired into the empty net to reduce the arrears.
They almost snatched a late equaliser, but Tear threw his body in the way of a fierce Jacob Grattan strike, as Boro held on for an entertaining 2-1 win.
BORO - Whitley, Duckworth, Brown, Gibson-Booth (Trialist C 46), Weledji (c) (Thornton 46), Tear, Green, Allan, Bennett, Walker (Marshall 62), Colville.
REFEREE - Mike Robinson.
BORO GOALS - Rio Allan 19, Harry Green 49; CLEETHORPES GOAL - Charlie Clements 81.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - CLEETHORPES 7 (3 on target) BORO 10 (4 on target).
CORNERS - CLEETHORPES 3 BORO 4.
OFFSIDES - CLEETHORPES 5 BORO 0.
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Luca Colville.
ATTENDANCE - 171 (35 away).