Boston United end 'nightmare week' with a place in the FA Cup draw

Craig Elliott ended his 'nightmare week' with a big grin as Boston United moved into the FA Cup's first round.
Craig Elliott.Craig Elliott.
Craig Elliott.

The Pilgrims began the day without injured skipper Luke Shiels and leading scorer Jordan Thewlis at Hednesford Town.

And with Lewis Gibbens suffering a groin injury seven minutes in things went from bad to worse.

Ben Middleton replaced Gibbens and played on through a dead leg as the Pilgrims - who had Domninic Knowles playing despite suffering tonsilitis - secured a 1-0 win.Elliott admitted that privately he feared a week he described as a 'nightmare' would end on a sour note after a personal omen.

"It's been a pretty poor week behind the scenes in terms of injuries, I even got a flat tyre on the way to training on Thursday," he said.

"When Gibbo goes down you think we're struggling, then Mids comes on and gets a dead leg as well.

"This is what it's about, you have to scrap and fight."

Andi Thanoj settled the tie with a 38th minute free kick, his first goal for the club.

And he wasn't even the designated taker.

"We had Woolly (Martyn Woolford) on them and I'm thinking why's he stood there? Hopefully doing a decoy run," Elliott added.

"But this is what happens, things go for you. I'm delighted for him getting his goal today.

"It's about getting into that first round, it didn't matter how we played.

"It wasn't a great game, but a great game from the perspective that we're in the first round."

The draw takes place on Monday evening.