MATCH REPORT: Shaun Tuton bags brace as Boston United book place in county cup final

Boston United 4 Grantham Town 2
Shaun Tuton.Shaun Tuton.
Shaun Tuton.

(Tom Clare 34, Jordan Adebayo-Smith 48, Shaun Tuton 54, 63; Craig Westcarr 12, Remaye Campbell 27)

Boston United booked their place in the Lincs Senior Cup final, coming from 2-0 down to beat Grantham Town.

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Shaun Tuton bagged a brace with Tom Clare and Jordan Adebayo-Smith also on the scoresheet, cancelling out early finishes from Craig Westcarr and Remaye Campbell.

The Pilgrims will now meet Cleethorpes in the final after progressing beyond Scunthorpe United, Stamford and the Gingerbreads.

Craig Elliott made 10 changes to the side which won 3-1 at Telford on Saturday, but there was still plenty of quality in his ranks.

George Green and Jake Wright returned to the Boston United squad while Jonathan Wafula, George Willis, Ashley Jackson, Ben Middleton, Clare, Nicky Walker, Adebayo-Smith and Tuton are hardly strangers to York Street.

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Defender Alex Penny was handed his first start with Brad Abbott the only player to remain from Saturday.

Andi Thanoj joined Wright on the bench, alongside a smattering of youth teamers and 43-year-old coach Lee Stratford.

The Gingerbreads included ex-Pilgrims Tom Ward, Westcarr, Jack Broadhead and Charlie Ward in their ranks.

The game kicked off at a frantic pace, Westcarr forcing Willis into a first-minute save, while Adebayo-Smith saw an effort smash against the inside of the Town post.

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Five minutes in and it was already more exciting than the goalless borefest these two sides conjured up in pre-season.

Westcarr - who had a habit of scoring against United with Alfreton Town - put Grantham ahead in the 12th minute, smashing home from close range after Remaye Campbell’s cross was diverted into his path by Willis, seemingly blindsided by the pack in front of him.

It was two a quarter of an hour later as a corner landed to Campbell who controlled, turned and found the net as United failed to clear a corner.

Clare pulled one back for United, tapping in from close range after Tuton bulldozed into the box and saw his prodded effort strike the post and fall kindly.

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Seconds later and Town stopper Adnan Kanuric was forced into a fine save to thwart Adebayo-Smith’s drive, the Gingerbreads’ number one reacting similarly to deny Abbott.

Adebayo-Smith levelled the scores three minutes after the re-start, a drop of the shoulder and turn of pace on the box creating the space before his left-footed drive found the net via a deflection off Declan Dunn.

And the comeback was complete in the 54th minute as Tuton’s fizzing, low 25-yard strike beat Kanuric at his near post.

Tuton grabbed his second of the evening with a powerful close-range finish after a deep free kick was guided back across goal.

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Wright, out of action since tearing his hamstring in August, was given the final 20 minutes as he replaced Tom Clare.

Willis was called upon to divert Andy Wright’s effort as the away side attempted to force their way back into the game.

And when Francois Zoko’s effort got the better of Willis his effort struck the woodwork, Wafula on hand to clear.

Teenagers Will Jackson, Jamie Gaukroger and Harry Cranfield made their first team debuts as they replaced Walker, Green and Thanoj in the final 10 minutes.

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UNITED: Willis, Penny, A. Jackson, Green (Gaukroger 86), Middleton, Wafula, Clare (Wright 69), Abbott (Thanoj 59 (Harry Cranfield 89)), Tuton, Adebayo-Smith, Walker (W. Jackson 81); Subs (not used): Cranfield, Stratford, Frestle.

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