Boro lost a penalty shoot-out for the second time in five days, drawing 2-2 at North Ferriby before losing 6-5 on pens, but there was much to admire in the performance, as Jono Greening’s side played some sparkling football, especially in the second half and created a host of chances, but found Ferriby keeper Jonathan Dash in inspired form, as he pulled off a series of terrific saves.
The first half was evenly contested, Ferriby having the first chance, when a Charlie Dunkerley cross was met by the head of ex Boro striker Jake Day, who forced a fantastic reflex save from Ryan Whitley. Boro’s first attack saw Dom Tear glance a header wide from a Lewis Maloney cross, before Ferriby opened the scoring, when a thunderous left-foot shot from Josh Thacker crashed down off the bar and went in off the back of Boro keeper Whitley. Luke Hall tackled Ferriby’s Liam Love when he charged into the area, and Whitley dived to tip away a low Thacker drive.
Boro played some neat passing football. The superb Alex Brown was halted by a Josh Clackstone sliding tackle on the edge of the box, Lucas Robinson kicked clear when Tear headed a Jack Waldron cross into the goalmouth, then Alex Wiles burst forward and his fierce shot forced a brilliant point-blank save from keeper Dash. Shortly before the interval Brown burst down the left, and his low cross flashed across a crowded goalmouth, with no one able to apply a finish.
Boro made a great start to the second half. Wiles passed to Harry Green, who slipped a through-ball into the path of Rio Allan, whose shot was deflected wide by the legs of Dash, but Green then did brilliantly as he pounced on a loose ball, raced down the left, and squared inside for Mo Fadera to slam into the roof of the net. Alex Purver teed up a shot for Wiles, but Dash again saved with his legs, and Allan fed Green, whose first time strike was blocked by Clackstone. Maloney was in fine form, his pass sent Fadera through, and he laid off to Green who fired inches wide. Boro were in command, Wiles shot narrowly wide, Purver’s through-ball sent Fadera racing past two defenders, but Dash parried his shot, with Fadera lashing the rebound over the bar.
A Maloney ball forward was blazed over by Allan, a Fadera shot was pushed wide by Dash, and Will Thornton headed a Maloney corner into the keeper’s arms. Maloney was unlucky when his angled shot struck the bar, before Boro went 2-1 up when Green’s ball from the left found Fadera, whose shot was saved by Dash, but Allan slammed in the rebound. Ferriby quickly equalised, Olly Green netting from the penalty spot after the ref spotted a handball, then Robinson headed just over. Michel Duckworth showed great skill to twice turn sublimely to glide past Ferriby players, and late on, Allan curled a shot over as the game ended 2-2, with Ferriby winning 6-5 on pens, as Maloney, Luca Stuttard, Allan, Green and Fadera all scored for Boro, but Wiles had his shot saved by the excellent Dash.
