Disappointing derby defeat for Holbeach United after ‘pathetic’ late penalty

Holbeach United 3
Boston Town 4

Frustrated Seb Hayes rued giving away a “pathetic” late penalty as his Holbeach United side lost 4-3 to struggling rivals Boston Town on Saturday.

The Poachers, 20th at the start of play, went ahead when Danny Maddison’s 18th-minute free kick evaded everyone and found the net.

Mitch Griffiths’ 25th-minute cross was headed home by a Town defender to level the scores up, but two strikes from Jordan Nuttell (28 and 37) put the Poachers 3-1 up at the interval.

Sub Josh Ford reduced the arrears on 73 minutes following another Griffiths assist, then Dan Dougill nodded home a corner (82) to level things up at 3-3.

However, there was a sting in the tail for the Tigers as Maddison converted a penalty three minutes from time – and Callum Madigan was later sent off to make it a miserable derby day for Hayes’ side.

Hayes said: “The first half was terrible. We got absolutely bullied and deserved to be 3-1 down.

“To conceded three goals from set pieces wasn’t good enough.

“We work on them religiously, but it seems we’re either great at defending them or absolutely useless.

“Credit where it’s due, the lads came out and took it to Boston in the second half.

“At 3-3 we looked like being the only side who would win the game, but our game management was so, so poor.

“We went chasing the win and ended up giving away an absolutely pathetic penalty in the last minute.

“At least at 3-3 we would have taken something. To give away a penalty in the 89th minute gives you nothing to work with.

“Sadly, we didn’t match them for work rate and effort. If we had done, our quality would have shone through.

“Despite being five games unbeaten before the game, we just didn’t seem to go into the game with any confidence in ourselves.”

Tigers: Drury, Nicholson (Zuerner), Warfield, Jackson, Madigan, Pinner (Sanders), Dougill, Munton, Griffiths, Allen, Treacher (Ford).