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Ben Thompson - Two Goals and in Fine Form

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Borough, having had no game last week, took some time to get into their stride and come to terms with the narrow Badger Sports pitch. Ben Thompson was in fine form and as early as the second minute his cross was put out for a corner from which Burnside headed over.

Badger were swift on the break but the deadlock was broken after 16 minutes by Fooks who smashed the ball past the Badger keeper from 25 yards after Smith had chested the ball down to him.

The Badger goal was put under further pressure but chances made from decisive runs by Thompson and Gunn were blazed over the bar. Borough were causing themselves problems with inaccurate passing and Badger were quick to seize on any chance to counter attack.

Badger were unlucky shortly before half-time, when a free-kick somehow found a player unmarked at the back post but his cross eluded the outstretched legs of his fellow attackers. The warning went unheeded, however, as a minute later Borough failed to clear the ball successfully and Badger equalised with a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

HT 1-1

In the first minute of the second half Borough had another scare when Dan Burton had a kick charged down and the resultant scramble nearly resulted in a goal.

Borough then took charge of the game and the movement and passing of the forwards were causing problems in the Badger defence. Chances were missed by Gunn and Thompson , then Burnside had an effort disallowed when he was adjudged to have fouled from a corner.

Traffic was now one-way and Holdroyd was making his presence felt in mid-field as Borough forced a succession of corners. The second goal finally came after 62 minutes when Gunn crossed and the ball was left by Fooks and Smith for Thompson to shoot home. Ten minutes later Smith beat the keeper to a cross from Fooks to glance the ball into the back of the net.

Dan Burton was called upon to save well from a rare Badger attack as Borough pressed forward in search of more goals. They should have added to their tally after 80 minutes when Smith was fouled in the area after a mazy run and cross by Gunn, but Russell’s penalty hit the bar and was cleared.

Fooks then hit the bar with a fine header and, when the ball came back, Smith was on hand to score. A minute later the Borough forwards again carved their way through the Badger defence and Smith did well to set up Thompson, who volleyed past the bemused keeper.

Borough took the opportunity to use their substitutes and created further chances in injury time as Smith had a chance cleared off the line and Gulliver hit a shot from 25 yards that cannoned back off the bar.

At the final whistle the Borough fans applauded another fine performance by their side, albeit after a shaky first half.

Poole Borough : Dan Burton, Dan Cockwell (Ross Gulliver 74), Paul Morrell, Winston Buckfield, Ricky Burnside, Dave Holdroyd, Alex Gunn (Paul Gatley 88), James Russell, Scott Smith, Alan Fooks, Ben Thompson (Chris Morgan 88).