Debut Theme Continues - Mulbarton Wanderers vs. Boston Town

There were just over three hundred at Mulberry Park

Continuing my theme of seeing teams make their debuts in competitions, I headed to Norfolk to see Mulbarton Wanderers' debut in The FA Cup. They were able to take their place in this years competition after finishing third in their debut season in Division One North of The Eastern Counties League. They had made a storming start to the league season scoring eleven and conceding only one in their two games so far. The only time I believe I've seen Boston Town play was in Norfolk for a cup game when they played Great Yarmouth Town in The FA Vase. I'd suffered many a chastising afternoon in Boston watching Scunthorpe at Boston United so I have few pleasant memories of the town but I am keen to revisit. 

Kick off on easily the best match day of the season

The wind would play a big part throughout the match and Mulbarton try to use this to their advantage early with a couple of wicked corners. Boston also force a great save early on and it takes a great last ditch tackle to stop the attacker getting to the rebound. It is a really open first half where the next chance comes for Mulbarton who are unlucky when a touch from a Boston defender does enough to put off the advancing forward at the back post. The best chance of the half again falls to Mulbarton as a long ball forward puts the forward in on a goal but the Boston keeper makes a good block at the feet of the attacker.

One of the many great punches under pressure the Boston keeper made in the first half

As if the wind wasn't bad enough, the rain arrives shortly into the second to further complicate things. It is now Boston's turn to make use of the wind and in similar fashion to Mulbarton in the first half, a touch takes the ball just of the attackers head. The wind continues to cause havoc which forces a Mulbarton defender to head a corner off his line. Mulbarton's main chance is header from a great cross that forces the Boston keeper into another good save. In the closing stages, Boston are reduced to ten men for a rash challenge but the visitors see the rest of the half out to set up the replay.

Boston keeper in action again in the second half

It takes a little while to get to Mulbarton from London but it is a pretty straight forward trip with the first part being a train to Norwich from Liverpool Street taking two hours. It is a then a ten minute walk to Tombland where you can catch the 37 bus to just outside the ground taking twenty minutes. If you have a bit of time in Norwich there is a lot to see and I recommend a trip to St Andrews Brewhouse which had a wide choice hand pull, draft and cans for all tastes. In Mulbarton itself is The Worlds End which is an Adnams pub with the usual choice of beer. The ground is then five minutes away and the bar in the village hall had a good selection of larger and some ale in bottles as well as the sports channels. The club dealt fantastically with the larger crowd and was good to see them rewarded with a decent attendance. My favourite match day of the season didn't disappoint.

Usually forbidden side of the ground