BOARDMAN GIVE DEFENDING CHAMPS WILMSLOW A SCARE
PROMOTED Boardman and Eccles came within a whisker of inflicting arguably the biggest surprise of the season in the Men's North of England League Premier Division on Saturday.
The Welbeck Road side took Wilmslow, the defending champions, the distance in a thrilling league encounter, the match finishing deadlocked at 14-14.
But Boardman had chances for an unexpected victory away to this season's European Lacrosse Federation Champions Cup winners.
Ahead 14-13 in the last minute of the game, Boardman were on course for an upset. But Dan Green, one of Wilmslow's England internationals, scored an equalising goal with just ten seconds remaining to help his side snatch a point.
Even without star face-off man Mike Jordan, the hosts still controlled the face off. Stuart Craig won 14 of the 23 he contested, while John Mountney won six out of his seven.
But Boardman refused to buckle and, despite having not won a quarter, they reversed the trend in the decider, winning it 5-3 to make sure of at least a point.
Max Leonard top-scored with four goals, while John Grubisic scored a hat-trick and Dave McCulloch and Matt Anderton both bagged braces.
Mike Graziano and Ian Murphy were also on the mark for the visitors, but Green denied them their third victory of the season.
Mark Reynolds, James Perrin and Chris Mountney all netted hat-tricks, with Mountney also on form with four assists.
Green and John Mountney scored twice, with Craig also on target in a cracking game.
Nick Anderton, the Boardman goalkeeper, also deserved plaudits for his 21 saves from 35 shots on target. The quarter scores went 3-3, 4-3 to Wilmslow, 4-3 again to Wilmslow, before finally 5-3 to Boardman.
"We could have easily won the match, so it was just disappointing to concede an equaliser so late in the match," said Anderton.
"The goal was not given at first, but then it was. We're just glad that decision didn't mean we lost, we can be proud of a point because it was a good team performance.
"We were two goals down going into that final quarter, so come back against a side like Wilmslow was a good effort."
Results, Saturday 1st November
Men's North of England League - Premier Division: Timperley 8 Cheadle 11, Poynton 7 Sheffield Steelers 13, Heaton Mersey 12 Mellor 7, Wilmslow 14 Boardman and Eccles 14, Stockport 15 Manchester Waconians 3.
