Boston Town 1
Pinchbeck United 1
Jack Smith and Fraser Bayliss were both sent off against their former club on Tuesday night – but PInchbeck United still managed to grab a draw at Boston Town.
It looked like Pinchbeck’s 29-game unbeaten run in the Future Lions United Counties League (28 of them in Division One) was coming to an end when Smith was sent off for two yellow cards in the first half and Scott Coupland (34) fired the hosts ahead.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Tom Sergeant levelled for the Knights five minutes into the second half.
More drama was to follow as Bayliss and Boston’s Ollie Pinner were sent off in separate incidents in the final ten minutes, but neither side could find a winner.
The draw ensures that promoted Pinchbeck are now unbeaten in their last 30 league games and that they have four points from their first two UCL Premier Division games.
With keeper Ricky Lovelace injured in the warm-up, Pinchbeck handed a debut to Alex Smith in goal. Both sides had their chances early on, with Ollie Maltby firing wide when well-placed and Town’s Cameron Johnson also off target following clever play from Lorand Borbely.
Then came the first red, with Smith given two quick bookings – one for a foul on Borbely and the second for dissent.
The Poachers cranked up the pressure after that, with Johnson forcing Smith into a super stop before Coupland broke the deadlock with back-post finish.
Ex-Deeping hitman Coupland almost made it 2-0 before the break, but he rattled the inside of the post and the Knights escaped.
Pinchbeck regrouped after the break and were soon level when a powerful run from Sergeant saw him shrug off the advances of Jordan Reynolds before smashing home an equaliser.
Coupland once again fired just off target as the hosts looked to go back ahead, but the Knights also had their chances – including an Andrew Tidswell free-kick that was parried by James Lambley.
With time running out, Pinchbeck were then reduced to nine men with the dismissal of Bayliss.
Boston had a big chance to win the game when Reynolds rattled the bar with a header, but the Knights – who dig in better than most when the going gets tough – held firm.
There was still time for ex-Holbeach United midfielder Pinner to be shown a second yellow card in the closing stages as both sides took home a share of the spoils.
The draw leaves Ian Dunn’s side seventh in the early league standings as one of four teams on four points.
Pinchbeck now move on to their first-ever Emirates FA Cup clash at Rothwell Corinthians this Saturday (3pm).
The Knights won the dress rehearsal for the Extra Preliminary Round showdown last weekend, prevailing 2-1 at the Sir Halley (see page 37).
Pinchbeck: Smith, Lawrence, Gardner (Field), Tidswell, Jack Smith, Shipley, Bayliss, Wright, Maltby, Sergeant (Clarke), Ogden (Dunn).
Attendance: 137.
RESULTS
Future Lions UCL
Premier Division: Boston Town 1 Pinchbeck United 1; Daventry Town 5 Harborough Town 2; Desborough Town 5 Kirby Muxloe 1; Eynesbury Rovers 2 Rothwell Corinthians 1; Leicester Nirvana 2 Rugby Town 0.
ChromaSport PDFL
Premier Division: Ketton 0 Stamford Lions 4; Moulton Harrox 5 Long Sutton Athletic 1; Sutton Bridge United 0 Holbeach United Res 2; Warboys Town 1 Whittlesey Athletic 3.
