Boro March On......

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Boro advanced to the last 16 of the Surrey Cup with a hard fought win over Division 4 South West Athletic. The visitors were a good side and to be fair the 2 league gap was barely noticeable just as with ourselves playing higher league sides last season. Boro welcomed back No 1 Ian Humphries in goal who has been injured since the opening day and therefore Paul Mears could go back on the pitch. In a 4-4-2 formation the front 2 combination of Deegan & Oldershaw was given a chance to prove why they have scored almost all of Boro&rsquo;s goals this season and they didn&rsquo;t disappoint. Both sides looked dangerous in the opening exchanges and Oldershaw ran onto a long ball to chip just over whilst Athletic&rsquo;s dangerous forward was causing Herron & Rugg a few problems in and around the box. There was controversy around the 20 minute mark as Athletic received a free-kick around 35 yards out which was took quickly and an amazing strike flew into the bottom corner but as the referee was talking to Ryan Butt at the time &nbsp;play was rightly bought back to the away sides anger.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Boro then took full advantage as Butt opened the scoring surging onto a ball that Deegan scrambled through the centre back pairing to calmly tuck into the bottom corner. Athletic were level soon after as a cross from the right was swept in by an unmarked player from 6 yards. A half time dressing down saw a few harsh words exchanged and Boro reacted the perfect way, bossing the opening exchanges as Mark Styles played in Oldershaw down the left who&rsquo;s pin-point cross was tapped in by Deegan. Butt surged down the right beating 3 players but the lay back was poor, &nbsp;breaking Deegan&rsquo;s neck to head over an open goal instead of sliding it along the floor. Styles fired just wide in another good move whilst the busy Mears ventured forward to miss 3 glorious opportunities in the half. Boro got their 3rd goal though when a carbon copy of the 2nd saw Styles put in Oldershaw to cross for Deegan who made no mistake in the 6 yard box. Out of really nowhere the Athletic forward twisted and turned Adam Chandler to slot past Humphries and set up a nervy finale. Boro stood strong with some great aerial clearances from Rugg & Herron and a perfectly good goal from Deegan on the break was disallowed for offside that no one apart from the linesman saw. The last action of the game saw Boro scramble 3 successive corners from literally off the line in some heroic defending to deservedly progress with a home tie in January against Harrodian Cavaliers.