In their seventh league outing of the season, Boston finally recorded a deserved victory to lift clubs spirits and lay the foundation to build on for the remainder of the campaign.

Team Manager Tim Bembridge made a number of changes to the previous week’s team. Michael Hoyes made his first team debut in the second row and Development team players Tom Brooks (fly half) and Jack Stokes (back row) were brought into the squad, a reward for recent performances.

With Ashfield lying one place above Boston in the league and traditionally strong in the forwards, it was going to be interesting to see how the re worked front five would cope, with Alex Kemp moving into the front row and a revamped back row of Wayne Sutcliffe, Marc Miles (captain) and Kenny Doig.

For the first 30 minutes there were few highlights to report on. Boston’s scum was comfortably holding its own and both Pedley and Doig in the line-out were securing good possession. In the loose Ashfield’s aggressive rucking, meant the home side at time struggled in terms of second phase possession. It took until 32 minutes before Tom Brooks broke the deadlock with a well-taken penalty to put Boston 3-0 in front. A penalty by Ashfield just before half-time meant the sides entered the interval at 3-3.

Boston resumed the break with the slight advantage of the wind behind them and intelligent play would prove decisive in using this to their full advantage. First fly half Tom Brooks, from the visitor’s 10m line stroked home a penalty for the Sills and Betteridge sponsored blue and whites to regain the lead.

Shortly after this, captain Marc Miles inside his own twenty two, spotted a huge unmanned space and an intelligent kick saw winger Dean Mathews and centre Michael Mitchell pressure the opposition winger, forcing a penalty, which converted by Tom Brooks saw Boston move into a 9-3 lead.

With 20 minutes left, the home crowd sensed a first victory was in sight if Boston could maintain their composure and continue to play rugby in Ashfield’s half. To ensure this, a double substitution was made, with Nigel Lane, replacing Kenny Doig and Liam Smith coming on for injured Simon Rasytinis. As Ashfield sensed that the momentum of the match was changing a sin binning offence saw them reduced to 14 men. An injury to Marc Miles saw Jack Stokes come off the bench, with 12 minutes remaining to earn his debut

The game was effectively won, when centre Michael Mitchell seized upon a pass after a spell of pressure near the Ashfield line to produce a searing angled run, which carved through the defence to score under the posts. The conversion by Tom Brooks, ensured the match was won and two league points secured.

This week Boston travel to Barton and will want to build upon this performance, to begin to move up the league table.

Boston 1st XV: I Sampson, C Dowse, A Kemp, J Pedley, M Hoyes, K Doig , M Miles, W Sutcliffe, P Cumber, T Brooks, J Brooks, M Mitchell, M Dean, S Rasytinis, J Cleaver. Replacements: N Lane, L Smith, J Stokes.

October 17

Boston 1st XV 0 Amber Valley 1st XV 13

Despite slipping to their fifth straight league defeat, by the narrowest of margins, there were encouraging signs for the home support that a first victory is just around the corner.

Playing a team currently ranked fourth in the table, there proved to be little between the two sides. What Amber Valley had coming into the game, was a confidence of three wins under their belt and for the home side, whilst searching for that first win, as often in these situations, the bounce off the ball and at times trying to force play, was against them. The key difference in the match, proved to be the Amber Valley forwards, who played a limited but effective power game plan. Both tries in the match, were a result of their strong scrum, which saw the visitors enter half time 13 points in front, via 2 tries and one penalty.

While there were no further scores in the second half, there were brief periods where the blue and whites came close to scoring, and on two occasions players were held up over the whitewash. Two players had to retire due to injuries in the second half, prop Iain Sampson and full back Adrian Hart, who were replaced by Kenny Doig and Liam Smith respectfully.

Team Manager Tim Bembridge, will look to build on this performance and that players retain their availability, to ensure some consistency in selection, which has been sadly missing during the last few weeks. In the forwards Jason Pedley in the second row made an impressive home debut.

Next week (October 24) Boston play in the second round of the EDF Cup competition against Market Deeping, the match to be played at Boston, kick-off 2.30pm.

Boston 1^st XV: I Sampson, C Dowse, A Buckberry, J Pedley, N Lane, M Miles, R Linnell, A Kemp, P Cumber, J Paylin, J Brooks, M Sharman, M Dean, A Hart, S Rasytinis, J Cleaver. Replacements: K Doig, L Smith, M Mitchell.

Boston Development Team 21, Amber Valley 2^nd XV 19

Boston secured a narrow hard-fought victory over Amber Valley with centre Simon Cooke scoring in the first half and fly-half John MacPherson adding a brace in the second. Next week they play Bourne away.

October 10

Southwell 1st XV 39, Boston 1st XV 13

Boston slumped to their fourth straight league defeat away at Southwell, as a catalogue of injuries, absence and unavailability of players forced the club to cancel the planned development team’s game to raise a squad to travel to Southwell.

With selection based upon who was available, a very different looking side took to the field, especially in the forwards where Simon Cooke, Michael Mitchell, Richard Allen and Chris Chester all were involved.

Given the disruption and changes in personnel, it was not surprising that Boston struggled to gel together and to play with any continuity. The home side in the opening twenty minutes were in the ascendancy and quickly moved into a 15-0 lead. The score could have been greater, were it not fro a series of try savings tackles by full back Adrian Hart and fly half Johnny Pain. Despite these set backs, Boston manfully held on and in the second 20 minutes began to slowly work there way back into the match, their rewards being a series of penalties, which saw centre Jake Brooks convert two to narrow the scores to a half time 18-6 deficit.

Boston started the second half in good spirits and showed the rugby they are capable of with centre Matt Sharman producing a strong run down the wing. However, for the travelling Boston supporters this was short-lived, as first Sharman was yellow carded and then prop Iain Sampson was forced to retire due to a knee injury. Despite conceding a further three tries, to the blue and whites credit they never gave up. Fittingly, it would be full back Adrian Hart who scored Boston’s only try before the final whistle, the result of another strong run by Matt Sharman and deft interchanges between a series of players to score under the posts a deserved consolation try.

For Boston, they face Amber Valley at home next weekend and will hope that they can draw upon a wider selection of players to bolster the first team squad and encourage those players to attend training on Tuesdays and Thursday nights. All support is welcomed at the Broadsides kick off 3.00pm.

Boston 1st XV: I Sampson, C Dowse, J Deamer, W Sutcliffe, N Lane, M Mitchell, S Cooke, P Cumber, J Paylin, J Brooks, M Sharman, M Dean, A Hart, S Rasytinis, R Allen, P Custer, C Chester.

September 19

Boston Development XV 38 Stamford 2nd xv 21

On a glorious September afternoon, a game of contrasting styles of play, saw Boston outscore the home team by six tries to three. Boston’s youthful back division, with the sun on their backs, fully utilised the hard ground to play an expansive running game, which was in contrast to Stamford forward based power game.

The Development side contained a mixture of youth and experienced players, especially in the forwards where veterans Kenny Doig and Richard Linnell, led by example. It would be the versatile Doig who registered Boston’s first two tries, the pick being his second try, a powerful run from the ten meter line, which was converted by Adrian Hart, to enable the visitors to race into an early 12 points to nil lead.

In the backs debutant centre Mathew Dean was proving a handful for the home defence, with his strong direct running. Scrum half Saimonas Rasytinis was providing good quick distribution to his colleagues, to enable counter launch attacks to be launched at every opportunity.

The pick of Boston’s first half tries was recorded by back row Dave Betteridge. From a line out outside Stamford’s twenty two, a well worked move, saw number eight Alex Kemp enter the back line and storm towards the try line, an off load to colleague Betteridge saw him cross the white wash to take Boston into a 17-7 lead at the interval.

The second half followed a similar pattern with Boston looking to run the ball at every opportunity. Three further tries were recorded by first scrum half Saimonas Rasytinis, who following a good pick up from Alex Kemp from a retreating scrum in Boston’s own half, fed the ball to his colleague, who showed his pace, by outsprinting the home defence to score under the posts. Tries by winger Jordan Cleaver and centre Michael Mitchell completed a satisfying second victory of the season for the Development team.

Next week (September 26) they travel with the firsts to play Nottingham Casuals.

Boston Development XV: J Deamer, A Phoenix, C Dowse, S Brown, R Linnell, R Linnell, K Doig, A Kemp, C Chester, S Rasytinis, D Betteridge, A Hart, J Cleaver, M Mitchell, M Dean, C Smith.

Note: There was no first team fixture this weekend.

September 5

Boston1st XV 5, Grimsby 1st XV 15

In their first competitive game, a new-look Boston team took to the field to play Grimsby in the first round of the Nottingham, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire Cup and narrowly lost.

The close season witnessed a number of players and the club coach leave. Despite this disruption, the Boston club attracted several new players and were able to introduce a number of the club’s promising youngsters into the first team squad as part of their re-building programme.

The match saw first team debuts awarded to James Fitzpartick, and Dave Betteridge in the back row, and Johnny Pain in the centre. Three player’s products of the under-17s production line also took the field during the game, these were Jordan Cleaver, wing, Michael Mitchell centre and Liam Smith fly-half.

With Boston forced to play several players in unaccustomed positions, the team naturally took time to settle down and for combinations to gel together in match conditions. It was Grimsby who would have the better of the first half, recording two tries to nil. Whilst Boston were forced onto the back foot for long periods, their close defensive tackling was good and James Fitzpatrick and Marc Miles were causing problems in the loose.

At half time and trailing by 12 points to nil, Team Manager Tim Bembridge elected to use the replacements at his disposal and brought on first Anthony Buckberry at prop, and then after 10 minutes Dave Betteridge in the back row, Liam Smith at fly-half and Jake Brooks at centre.

Boston started the second half brightly and early pressure soon brought its reward when a quickly taken tap penalty by Craig Dowse inside the Grimsby half, caught the Grimsby defence asleep and when tackled yards short of the try line his off-load to the supporting skipper Richard Justice, saw Richard score in the corner, to reduce the arrears to 12-5. Centre Johnny Pain’s conversion struck the post. While a storming run by Jordan Cleaver, saw a fine last ditch tackle prevent a certain try, moments later, this would be the last real opportunity Boston would have to win the game. A drop goal literally with the last kick of the match sealed Grimsby cup win.

Overall, while disappointed to lose their first competitive game, there were a number of positives to take away from the match, to enable coach Phil Sidebottom to work on in training next week.

On Saturday (September 12), Boston entertain Mellish in the league, kick off 3.00pm, the game will be preceded by a vice-president’s dinner, please contact Martin Keightley (club secretary) if you wish to attend. All support welcome at the Broadsides.

Boston 1^st XV: N Lane, C Dowse, I Sampson, L Eldin, R Linnel, M Miles, R Justice , M Keightley, A Hart, J Cleaver, J Pain, M Mitchell, M Sharman, S Bourne. Replacements: A Buckberry, S Lovely, Liam Smith, Dave Betteridge, Jake Brooks.

Boston Development Team 17, Skegness 2^nd XV 15

In a game of two contrasting halves, dictated by a strong wind, Boston determinedly held onto a spirited second half come back from local rivals Skegness in this encounter. Boston scored three tries though Chris Chester (back row), Simon Cooke (centre) and Saimonas Rasytinis (winger/scrum half), to earn a hard-fought victory. The Development side entertain Mellish seconds at home on Saturday.