Histon FC
Midson (57)

Team:

1 Lee Hook
8 Paul Armstrong (C)
5 Ben Austin
2 Darren Baker
15 Nathan Crabb
21 Mo Harkin
3 Neil Jenkins
13 Jay Lovett
6 Marc Pullan
10 Allan Tait
4 Matt Smart

Substitutes:

31 Darren Budd for Tait 85)
7 Pat Harding for Harkin (73)
25 Viktor Illugason for N Crabb (75)
11 Matt Crabb
22 Chris Winterton

Team:

1 Danny Naisbitt
5 Matt Langston (C)
9 Damian Reeves
10 Antonio Murray
12 Jack Midson
18 Nathaniel Knight-Percival
21 Lanre Oyebanjo
23 Daniel Wright
24 Josh Simpson
25 Gareth Gwillim
37 Patrick Ada

Substitutes:

13 Lance Key
2 Craig Pope for Oyebanjo (73)
3 Erkan Okay for Wright (85)
7 John Kennedy
8 Neil Andrews

Boro welcomed old adversaries Histon to Priory Lane hoping to return to winning ways. 'It was a true game of 2 halves today' commented Nick Greenwood after the final whislte. 'We were slightly disappointed with only a single goal after our dominance in the 1st 45 minutes but we hung on a bit in the closing minutes'.

Matt Crabb started on the bench, younger brother Nathan continuing up front with Allan Tait; Mo Harkin also starting. Mo had a tremendous opening to the fixture threatening Danny Naisbitt's goal 3 times in the 1st 10 minutes. Neil Jenkins delivered a fine left-wing cross for Mo in the 4th minute before he again volleyed at Naisbitt a minute later. Boro have confounded many critics with their flowing football this season and on 8 minutes a sweeping move from left-back allowed Mo to force the Histon keeper into a save; flicking the ball over the bar from an acute angle. The Boro 21 also fired wired after Tait reacted to a quick free-kick; and Boro would count themselves unlucky not to be in front.



Boro really were taking the game to Histon and after several waves of attack it took until the 16th minute for the visitors to finally test Lee Hook; the Boro stopper making an easy catch from a weak header. Mo's freekick was comfortable for Naisbitt; as was Jay Lovett's neat turn and shot but only Mr. Whitton missed the clear 'push' on Tait as the ball was crossed into the Histon area. Moments later however the dam finally broke when Ben Austin rose magnificently to glance a right-wing corner into the net for 1-0.



The 2nd 45 saw the expected Histon turn up; Jack Midson's poor cross on 46 minutes following a quick break. Patrick Ada was finally booked on 53 minutes for cynically pulling Nathan Crabb down when his pace took him past the defender. On 56 minutes Austin saved the lead when he slid in to deny Damian Reeves's shot from reaching the net but the MOM could do nothing to stop Midson's thumping header from the resulting corner - 1-1.

Histon now wound up the pressure and forced a row of dangerous corners that the Boro defence defended stoutly. Tait was foiled at the last minute by Ada but Reeves should have done a lot better when his awful cross from the right was far too long with Boro exposed. Jenkins forced naisbitt into an excellent save on 83 minutes before Midson's deep delivery looped onto Hooks bar; the ball lost in the late summer sun.

As the whistle blew many of the Boro faithful would no doubt echo the coach's assessment of the game - it truly is 'a game of 2 halves'.

Words - LeePeskett
Photo - Lee Smith