COLUMN: Being an armchair supporter is far from perfect but at least we can all be daystream believers... when Boston United can return to action

Where were you when Paul Green forced home Boston United’s opener at Leamington on Tuesday night?

Me personally, I was sat on Twitter discussing how to get the live stream running smoothly.

And I wasn’t the only one who missed it, was I? Three different servers, numerous viewing options and just one outcome - my screen kept freezing.

It was all very heart-in-mouth as the action appeared to buffer each and every time Ross Fitzsimons came pegging it out his area. Think A Question of Sport’s What Happens Next? round but with much higher stakes.

You may be used to paying £8.99 for an exciting viewing experience on your laptop only for the action not to meet your tastes. But as a happily married man it was a new - frustrating - experience.

Thankfully things improves vastly in the second half and an enjoyable game, filmed brilliantly and complete with excellent commentary, unfolded.

I don’t want you to think this is a whingefest. I wouldn’t know how to beam a football match into your living room, so it’d be ridiculous to expect a volunteer at a non-league football club currently trying to find new mid-pandemic revenue streams while dealing with the piles of paperwork that come with COVID measures to become Sky Sports overnight (“It’s Leamington-Boston... and it’s live-ish!”).

In truth, clubs should be applauded for trying to keep their supporters engaged and teething problems should be expected, no matter how much it winds you up at the time.

The Brakes’ live stream may have got off to a stuttering start, but you can’t say the same about Craig Elliott, who has now collected seven points from three opening days with the Pilgrims.

And this was the most emphatic performance by far.

Andre Johnson’s late winner against Guiseley and last season’s 1-1 draw with Chester, while both solid results, were nervy affairs.

There was none of that on Tuesday, and no amount of buffering could make you think any different.

This was a solid all-round team performance where the guys in white confidently bid their time and took their chances, set pieces their weapon of choice on an evening where Andi Thanoj offered more mouthwatering deliveries my my local kebab house on a Saturday night.

The Brakes used to be Elliott’s bogey team - remember that nine-game unbeaten run being ended in a game where keeper Tony Breeden made Jon Stewart look like a man in a hurry to take a goal kick? - but for the past two season’s he’s proven his teams can do it on a cold Tuesday night against Leamington.

More evidence of that continual progress that the manager speaks of. Evolution, not revolution, as Tony Hayers would put it.

I was interested to see how United's own streaming service - due to be unveiled yesterday before the clash against Guiseley was postponed due to cases of COVID in the home camp - would fare in this brave new world.

But with the players now told to self isolate for a fortnight, that plan is going to be put on hold for a little while. Of course, the main thing - as Craig Elliott stated this week - is the safety of all involved, and best wishes go out to all of them, along with hopes of a speedy return to action.

The new normal means you currently aren’t allowed in to the Northolme as spectators to cheer on the Pilgrims.

So, unless you can find a cinema that’s screening the game (don’t!) or a spot on the roof at Marshall’s Yard, then your best bet is to become a daystream believer - an armchair supporter - and log on to the Pilgrims’ coverage.

It’s not football as we know it, it’s not the game as we want it and your own coffee may taste a little too much like coffee for a Saturday afternoon, but if - fingers crossed everyone emerges from this latest episode safe and well - United can return to action and put in a similar performance to Tuesday evening you know you won’t want to miss it... like I did Paul Green’s goal.