On a cold afternoon in Bridlington, Boro played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with fellow play-off hopefuls Telford, on a heavy, badly cut up pitch that certainly wasn’t conducive to good football. Top scorer Ste Walker replaced Richie Bennett, in the only change from the midweek draw with King’s Lynn, and Boro made a bright start as Jack Waldron’s through-ball to Ste Walker in the area, was hacked clear by Orrin Pendley. Ste Walker then laid off to Alex Wiles, who fired narrowly over, and Rio Allan cut in from the right and flashed a shot past the far post.
Alex Wiles hobbled off with a hamstring injury, and Telford took a grip on the game. Remi Walker fired wide, a fantastic Kieran Weledji tackle halted a run from Dylan Allen-Hadley and Weledji deflected a Remi Walker shot wide. Keeper Ryan Whitley got down quickly to tip away a Remi Walker strike that was heading for the bottom right corner, but Boro then went close at the other end, as a long-throw from Alex Brown on the left, was flicked on by Luca Colville to Will Thornton, who fired goalwards, forcing on-loan Wolves keeper Josh Gracey to pull off a flying save.
Boro were unlucky on 36 minutes when Allan passed forward to Ste Walker, who raced past a defender on the right, cut in and curled his shot against the inside of the left-hand post. Then Thornton’s ball to Ste Walker in the area, was kicked clear by James Meddows, the ball breaking to Allen- Hadley who surged down the left in a devastating counter-attack, and he passed inside for Adan George to slam home from close range to open the scoring on 41 minutes. Whitley then dived to push away a low shot from Allen-Hadley shortly before the interval.
Despite the bobbly pitch, both sides created a number of chances in the second half, with Boro shading possession, but finding visiting centre-backs Pendley and skipper Oliver Cawthorne on top form. A long-throw from Waldron was headed-on by Thornton to Weledji, whose shot was blocked by Jordan Piggott, and another Weledji shot was deflected wide by Pendley. Telford went forward, and a Remi Walker shot bounced off the top of the bar, before Boro equalised with a route one goal, as a long kick upfield from Whitley skidded off the head of a defender towards Ste Walker, who burst forward, and neatly slotted past Gracey.
Theo Chapman impressed with some skilful runs down the left, and Colville, Waldron and Dom Tear battled away in the tough conditions. A low cross from Chapman was tapped home by Ste Walker from an offside position, Allan burst into the box but was tackled by Dylan Mitchell, Meddows blocked an Allan shot and Colville fired inches over. For Telford, Remi Walker fired straight at Whitley, Weledji tackled Allen-Hadley as he ran through, a crunching Brown tackle halted a Ricardo Dinanga run, and Mitchell fired over. The 1-1 draw was Boro’s sixth draw in their last seven home matches.
