Double whammy! Gibbens injured as Boston United beaten at Spennymoor Town

Boston United were left rueing a ‘double whammy’ as defender Lewis Gibbens dislocated his shoulder in last night’s defeat at Spennymoor Town.
Lewis Gibbens.Lewis Gibbens.
Lewis Gibbens.

The on-loan Mansfield Town youngster was injured in the build up to the only goal of the game at Brewery Field, converted by the clinical Glen Taylor.

“I think we’ve gave a good account of ourselves, created chances and limited them to not many,” said Pilgrims boss Craig Elliott.

“(They’ve got a) red hot striker in Taylor, who’s probably the best in league. He had one chance and scored from a mistake.

“He’s not done much against us but he’s seen the mistake, a nothing ball really, and it’s a double whammy as young Gibbo’s not only got caught for the goal but it looks like he’s dislocated his shoulder.

“I don’t think the pitch helps, it’s absolutley horrendous. I think that contributed to Gibbo’s injury. He seemed to give way on the pitch and he fell very awkwardly.”

While Elliott felt his side deserved something from the game as they did well to match the Moors, he praised the opposition for their clinical nature.

He added: “The top four or five are sorted. They’re a top five team and you can see what it takes.

“In both boxes they’ve just got that bit of nouse, that bit more finishing. But they can just see games out and we don’t have the quality to oversee that.

“I don’t want to hammer them too much as we’ve been on a good run and tonight we played well.”

Taylor’s 54th-minute strike proved the difference, the attacker netting his 23rd of the campaign.

While Gibbens may face some time on the sidelines, he wasn’t the only one to pick up an injury as the contest was delayed for 15 while referee John Matthews was replaced by David Carr after tweaking his knee on the boggy surface.

Jay Rollins fired wide and Max Wright forced a save from home keeper Matt Gould in a first half where former Pilgrim Liam Agnew fizzed an effort off target for the hosts.

The second half began with Shaun Tuton hitting the United woodwork before Taylor latched onto a ball over the top, firing beyond George Willis.

Boston still had chances to snatch a draw, but Gould denied Andi Thanoj and Nicky Walker couldn’t hit the target.

MOORS: Gould, Williams, Curtis, Atkinson (Thackray 62), Brogan, Chandler, Ramshaw, Tuton (Hall 70), Agnew, Anderson (Johnson 78), Taylor; Subs (not used): Boyes, Elliott.

UNITED: Willis, Davies, Qualter, Gibbens (Harris 58), Jackson, Wright, Abbott (Walker 70), Thanoj, Wafula, Allott, Rollins (Wroe 70); Subs (not used): Johnson, Chettle.

REF: John Matthews (David Carr).

ATT: 544.