A GOAL each either side of half time from Mike Morgan and Gavin Bensley secured Barnston a good win against fellow mid-table side Boxted at High Easter Road.

Border League Div One

Barnston AFC 2 Boxted Lodgers 1

A GOAL each either side of half time from Mike Morgan and Gavin Bensley secured Barnston a good win against fellow mid-table side Boxted at High Easter Road.

Without regulars Mark Pledger (holiday) and Jay Haberland (work), it was a tricky Border League tie for the home side who had beaten Boxted 2-0 earlier in the season.

Takeley manager Don Watters was on the sideline to assess Tim Shaw and the striker did not disappoint by putting in a solid performance and grabbing assists for both goals.

Barnston dominated the first half and led one-nil at the break before Boxted drew level in the second. But only one winner emerged as the home side grabbed a second and were unlucky on several occasions not to grab a third.

Manager Leighton Williams said: “This was a well deserved win, but we made hard work of it. The first half had been so one-sided that no one could have begrudged us a five-nil lead at half time. But we were our own enemies.

“Too much showboating and cockiness meant that we let them off the hook and, when they equalised early in the second half, it looked like we could pay dearly for our first half immaturity.

“The goal that won the game was fantastic and was a display of just what this team can do when they put their mind to it.”

He added: “Another bright note was that the watching Don Watters was impressed enough with Tim’s performance to say that he will be back to watch again. He has now grabbed the attention of three clubs higher up in the non-league ladder.

“This obviously would be a blow to us, but with the sudden emergence of Morgan, it appears that we have a ready made replacement who could be attracting the same interest that Tim has this season.

“Make no mistake, this is not a one man team. The first half display, added to the excellent recent performance against league leaders Lawford Lads, suggests that a strong team is now developing and is growing together ready for a real crack at promotion next season.”

This coming Saturday Barnston are away to Bradfield Rovers in the league with a 3pm kick off.