Dene Park Thursday, April 28th, 2011   Northern Counties East Premier Attendance: 227         Hall Road Rangers 1-0 Scarborough Athletic
2010 /11

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Boro's penultimate game of the season ended in defeat at Hall Road Rangers, and the side finished the game with nine men after two Boro players were sent off. James Palmer returned to the right flank, and after an impressive sub debut at Arnold, Luke Foster started his first game on the left wing. Gary Hepples was made captain for the night and played at centre-half in the absence of Chris Jenkinson, while Josh Clayton joined him. Graham Botham also returned to a team with an average age of 22. Without 31-year-old Botham and 30-year-old Richard Dunning, the other nine starters players had an average of just 20. Take out 29-year-old Gary Hepples and eight of the starting team had an average age of just 19. Boro's young side were slow to start th game, and Hall Road had the first chance to score after 13 minutes - Dave Ricardo hooked a shot over the bar. Palmer and Foster were providing the threats for Boro, the two 17-year-olds having most of the first half chances for the visitors. First Palmer forced a ricochet goalwards after Rangers defender Ricky Foster had blocked his initial effort, then Luke Foster shot over the bar after cutting in from Ryan Blott's lay-off. Relatively experienced in the side, at just 22-years-old, Blott crossed soon after, but Boro's Foster could get on the end of it. Blott skimmed the bar, and Palmer forced Antoni Pecora into a low save, both from distance as Boro looked for the opener. James Webb shot just wide from the edge of the box from Dunning's pass. Boro's promising half soon turned sour though, and before half-time they found themselves 1-0 down and down to ten men. What turned out to be the only goal of the game was scored on 40 minutes, when Adam Walker put the finishing touches to a four-man move through midfield. Foster had another chance to score, but his shot from Palmer's cross went into the ground and straight to Pecora. Then right on half time skipper Hepples was dismissed following a foul on the edge of the box on Darrell Thompson. The referee adjudged Hepples as last man and the player in a goal-scoring opportunity - despite the ball having already left the field before the player hit the ground. Hepples was sent off, for the second time in six matches. The second half didn't see as many clear cut chances for Boro to score, but they did come close through Bill Law and Foster again - Blott the instigator of both chances. Blott himself forced former Scarborough FC teammate Pecora into a low save with 20 minutes left, and as the half progressed he continued to probe - another shot on the turn saved by Pecora, this time without having to move. As time was running out Clayton was sent off for a late challenge on a Hall Road player, for which he could have no arguments. However Tom Chippendale was over-zealous in his unappreciation for Clayton's challenge, and was also shown a red card for his protestations to the Boro youngster. In the same melee, Ricardo unsurprisingly received a yellow - an almost weekly occurence for the former Boro midfielder. With nine vs ten the game petered out, Boro finishing the match with a back four consisting of three full-backs and a winger, as Frank Belt and Botham took the centre spots, and Eddie Marriott and Foster filled in at full-back. A match Boro could and should have taken something from, but appreciation for the young side's efforts were given at the final whistle. Boro: Woodhead, Belt, Botham, Hepples, Clayton, Law, Palmer (Marriott 64), Dunning, Blott, Webb (Barker 75), Foster. Unused: Gravill, Richardson, Ingram. Booked: None. Sent Off: Hepples, Clayton. Hall Road: Pecora, Normington, Chapman, Ricardo, Foster, Suddaby, Chippendale, Taylor, Thompson (Gawthorpe 68), Walker (Easter 85), Craine. Unused: Carroll, Dickinson. Goal: Walker 40 Booked: Suddaby, Ricardo. Sent Off: Chippendale. Attendance: 227 Referee: C Akers