TUESDAY 11th MARCH 2008

VAUXHALL MOTORS 1 v 0 BOSTON UNITED

BLUE SQUARE NORTH

Vauxhall earned themselves a vital Blue Square North victory at a windswept Rivacre Park against former Football League outfit Boston United, to re-ignite their hopes of avoiding relegation.

The all-important goal arrived just five minutes from injury time at the end of the game, when neat build-up play on the left between Paul Taylor and Russell Hitchen, enabled the latter to hit a hard low cross into the six-yard box where Peter Heler gained a march on his marker to side-foot home the winner with a deft touch.

It was no more than the Motormen deserved for a much-improved showing throughout the team and manager Carl Macauley was more than pleased with both the result and display.  The three points gained from the match in hand enabled Motors to drew level on points with both Hucknall Town and Hinckley United, who both have to visit Rivacre Park next month, and nine clear of basement club Leigh RMI.
                           
The scorer had the first decent chance of the game, repeatedly spoilt by the blustery conditions, on 13 minutes, but the Pilgrims keeper Simon Rayner made a fine save.  The visitors responded and home keeper Andrew Murphy did well to stop Kieran Leabon netting at his near post, saving with his legs.

On the resumption, Taylor almost played in Heler in similar fashion to his ultimate winning strike, before the Lincolnshire side put the home goal under increased pressure.  Murphy twice tipped over decent strikes from Leabon and better still to deny Sam Gaughram, before Alan Griffiths headed just wide from a corner at the other end.

Boston’s Ashley Nichiolls almost broke the deadlock with a curling free kick on 75 minutes, his effort going just over the bar and Tom Matthews also went close with a fiercely-struck drive.

It looked like the game was heading towards a goalless draw, but then on 85 minutes, with Motors pressing, they struck a crucial blow in their fight for survival.  But they still had to thank an assistant’s flag seconds later to rule an immediate Boston response out for offside before they could begin celebrating a famous win.

Vauxhall: Murphy, Owens, Egerton, Griffiths, Holmes, Robinson, Smith, Williams, Heler, Hitchen, Taylor.  Sub not used: Field, Roberts, McGrail, Reed.