Sheffield FC Match Report

On a warm and sunny April afternoon, Boro welcomed already relegated Sheffield FC to Bradley FDC, Home of Grimsby Borough sponsored by Jason Threadgold.

Playing a team whose fate has already been sealed can prove to be a tricky tie, as they are playing with no pressure, and so it proved. The visitors made a few changes to the line up with a couple of debuts handed to impressive looking youngsters.

Boro themselves made a couple of changes with Jack Richardson and Charlie Burden-Whittleton replacing the absent Tom Jamieson and Lewis Collins. It was the visitors who started the brighter and looked a threat going forward particularly from set pieces. This was confimed as they took a 14th minute lead with Beatson unmarked in the centre of the goal to head home. This early set back was compounded as strong and inspirational centre half Brad Wood was forced off with a groin injury, we wish you all the best Brad and hope that's not the last we've seen of you this season.

Grimsby Town loanee Finley Axcell replaced Wood and it was the youngster who drew Boro level in the 24th minute, a typically precise free kick from Josh Venney was poorly dealt with by the Sheffield defence and a loose defensive header found Burden-Whittleton who expertly headed the ball back across goal for Axcell to nod in from close range.

The remainder of the first half was fairly uneventful with Boro maybe slightly fortunate to be level as the half time whistle sounded.

No changes were made at half time but the tempo and pattern of the game completely changed with Boro being the far better side during the second period. Rio Molyneaux was causing the visitors all kinds of problems with Reece York, Jack Richardson and Venney bossing the midfield. Despite a couple of good attempts at goal it took until 67th minute for Boro to make their dominance pay and it was the skipper Sam Topliss who fired his penalty into the roof of the net.

Two quickly became three as the impressive Molyneaux got a deserved goal to put the game beyond doubt. Two back to back victories at a very important time see Boro five points clear of the dreaded drop, hopefully we can make it three out of three as we head to Bradford Park Avenue next Saturday.

Boro - Higton, Burden-Whittleton (Oglesby 82'), Adlard, Topliss, Wood (Axcell 16'), Sawyer, Richardson, York, Molyneaux (Edwards 82'), Venney, Drury (Fenwick 77'). Unused sub; Jacklin.