Boro close in on
playoffs – Middlesbrough 9 Grimsby YMCA 8
Grimsby gave
Middlesbrough a scare on Sunday and ran them close in an end to end match, but
it was the Teessiders who came out on top to reclaim pole position in the
league as Sheffield & Hallamshire faltered in Manchester. It was
possibly the most important three points of the season so far with games
falling away fast and little chance for recovery from any hiccups. Boro
can now qualify for the National Championship playoffs with a win next weekend
over second placed Sheffield & Hallamshire.
Boro started well
and created a few chances before Grimsby took an unexpected lead early in the
game before doubling it shortly after to shock Middlesbrough.
It was end to end
stuff, and it wasn’t until 6-6 that Boro finally went ahead as Hamblin, with
his fourth goal of the game, gave Boro a 7-6 lead turning the game in Boro’s
favour. The clock was ticking and at 7-6, Boro tried to keep possession,
but the dangerous Matt Payne was a constant threat, finding space and hitting
the target more often than not. Shane Garvie got the equaliser, but Danial
Hornigold received his second yellow card for an over the top celebration
resulting in a red card and Boro took the lead with a player advantage.
Matt Payne scored
his sixth goal to make is 8-8 and the game seemed to be headed for a draw, but England
international Ryon Leyshon, who was quiet for most of the game scored with 75
seconds on the clock to give Boro three points that could be so important in
the race for the playoffs.
As Sheffield
& Hallamshire lost 3-2 to Manchester, Boro return to the top and Manchester
are back in the hunt for a top two finish. Loughborough left it even
later than Boro and won their game with 9 seconds remaining against Barsa,
keeping them in contention for the title.
Boro are now in
prime position to reach the national playoffs – where they would meet the top
two teams from the Midlands league and the South league for the English title
and a place in the UEFA Futsal Cup.
Manager Damon
Shaw is naturally delighted, but knows it’s not guaranteed until they are
mathematically clear. “We have fought
hard all season and find ourselves one win away from the national
playoffs. The win against Grimsby
typified our season – we’ve ground out results against the odds, but it’s no
fluke, the desire to succeed is there among the squad and hopefully that will
see us through to the end of what could be a successful season for Boro!”
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