BORO REACH 1st Round proper of NRSC with magnificent 4-0 away win

FISHBURN PARK 0 SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC 4.

I was unable to attend this match, but it proved to be another excellent Boro' performance, which has put them into the 1st Round proper of the NRSC,it was watched by another impressive crowd, 356 were inside Whitby's Turnbull ground on a cold November evening. I have shown the report on the game from the Athletic website.

Following the 5-1 away win at Rossington four days previously Boro went to the Turnbull Ground in Whitby to face Fishburn Park with confidence extremely high and a full strength side on the field. They came away with an emphatic win and a place in the First Round Proper of the North Riding Senior Cup - just two steps away from the Final.
Three changes were made from the side at Rossington, with Carl Wood able to take up his place at right centre back, Dave Kemp missing out due to injury. Rob Pinder also came into the side, with Graham Botham rested following a knock in the win in South Yorkshire. Gary Hepples also was moved to the bench as Ryan Blott came back into fold following his suspension. He took his place up front with Craig Hogg, Mark Griffin moving back to his customary right wing berth – a move which would pay dividends.
The home side clearly had a good backing in the impressive crowd of 356, but on the field they couldn’t quite match Boro’s pace and skill. The warning signs were there for the home crowd as early as 45 seconds, when Blott fired over following good work from Hogg. Home goalkeeper Paul Watson was called into his first save on four minutes, as Hogg struck low; it wouldn’t be his last action.
The attacking play was all Boro, but they were finding it hard to hit the net. Hogg was inches away from a cross by Blott on eight minutes, just after Anthony Bowsley hit a quick free-kick over the bar. On 20 minutes Blott again was involved as he had a shot saved by Watson after good work from Griffin.
Fishburn had their best chance on 22 minutes as Neil Hart missed an open goal when it looked easier to put his side ahead. Fishburn started to get on the ball a lot more at this stage, but on 35 minutes they were forced to change the players around as Mark Tose replaced the injured left winger Stuart Gregson.
With the right hand side of midfield more open for Boro, Griffin had more chance to run, and five minutes before the break he fed Liam Widdowson, whose shot was again well saved by Watson, who punched out for a corner.
With half-time looming Boro stepped up a gear and by the time the half time whistle sounded they were 2-0 up. The first goal came from a corner which the defence did not deal with properly; defender Neil Waterfield hitting his own bar with an attempted clearance before Blott pounced to volley home the opener.
The second goal on the stroke of half time was pure football genius. In a move which involved six players, the ball reached Widdowson in the centre about 40 yards out. He played a through ball to Hogg who turned and clipped a pass to Griffin on the right, ten yards in field. A sharp pass to Phillips was controlled and moved on by the top scorer, straight back to Hogg’s feet. After two touches to take the ball out of his feet he slammed home his first goal in five matches.
In the second half, buoyed by those two goals, Boro really went at it. Bowsley had a shot blocked on its way in and Pinder nearly scored direct from a corner, a home defender intervening on the line.
On 58 minutes Boro’s 3rd came. Scott Phillips picked up the ball on the corner of the six yard box and turned sharply into a defender who brought him down. Phillips dusted himself down and took a superb penalty into the bottom right corner to make it 3-0.
Boro made two substitutions with Hepples replacing Pinder and Tom Barker replacing Wood. A little re-positioning with Barker taking the left-wing berth and Widdowson filling in at right centre half - Hepples slotting into his usual midfield role – but they continued to press looking for more goals.
Barker had an instant impact - almost netting had a defender not blocked. Bowsley then saw a free-kick saved by Watson, and from the resulting corner Hogg attempted an audacious back-heel which was also blocked away from goal.
A minute later Phillips was replaced by Andy Neill, and it was the striker who laid off a pass to Hepples on 78 minutes which the midfielder struck towards goal with the keeper stood fast, only to see the shot hit the corner of the goal frame; Hogg’s follow-up saved well again by Watson.
But with just four minutes left Boro notched their 4th goal, and their 50th in all competitions and friendlies since formation. And it was a goal worthy of such an accolade. Hogg picked the ball up on the left hand side of the area and slipped a pass to Neill 20 yards out. He thought about a shot before hearing the racing Griffin’s shout as he stormed down the right. He laid the ball perfectly into the winger’s path, and he hit a bullet of a first time shot into the bottom corner. The keeper had no chance at all and the game was won.
The Fishburn players didn’t have the legs to cope with their higher level rivals, but bowed out of the competition with heads held high, their performance not a disgrace by any means. Had it not been for keeper Watson the score could have been much higher, and he deserved the round of applause when he was announced as man of the match.

Result: Fishburn 0, Boro 4
Boro: Bramley, Wood (Barker 65), Evans, Waltham, Phillips (Neill 73), Bowsley, Griffin, Widdowson, Hogg, Blott, Pinder (Hepples 60). Scorers: Blott 44, Hogg 45, Phillips pen 58, Griffin 86. Booked: Evans

Next is a home league game against Rossington on Saturday, this should bring in Boro's highest attendance so far, and it could also be Boro's biggest win of the season, considering the 5-1 win achieved at Rossington last week.

See you there..............................................................................................................