Northern Premier League Midland Division – Saturday 6 December 2025
After an encouraging six goals from their last two games, it was back to reality, in a contest where the opposition seemed to know what they were doing, while Boldmere, at times, seemed puzzled as to what know what the ball was actually for. On a day when the lights were on from the start, the Mikes were the first to attack; but seven minutes in, Jonathan Brown needed two bites at the cherry to keep out a speculative forty-yard lob. Soon, Tolly Omotola repeated the process at the other end; but his lob ended up on the netting’s roof.
A sign of what was to come arrived as the first quarter of an hour beckoned. Brown couldn’t hold on to a long, low shot from way out; and there was Will Jones to follow up, and put the Doughboys ahead. The score remained 1-0 for most of the half, despite four periods of desperate defence by the Mikes, Nile Ranger somehow missing two straightforward chances, right winger Connor Furlong a constant threat to the visiting rearguard. Even so, it needed two excellent reflex saves from home keeper Dean Snedker to deny Jack Burgess an equaliser. Right on half time, the defensive dam finally burst, Theo Robinson heading home after a neat header from Ranger making space at the far post. A 2-0 half-time deficit rather than level pegging left a mountain to climb in the second period.
Boldmere went backwards as much as they went forwards in the second period, in which (once again) not much happened in the opening quarter of an hour. The visitors fought hard, extended tussling eventually leading to Ben George needing treatment. The final nail in the Boldmere coffin arrived with fifteen minutes left. A Doughboys cross came in from the right…brushed Ben George’s arm…and our referee was pointing to the spot. There was something of a pause while Jonno Brown changed his boots, a broken stud holder having rendered his initial set unserviceable. Alas, Danny Draper sent the ball to the right as Jonno dived left, and the hosts were now three goals to the good. Wellingborough could now keep three men back for a free kick twenty yards from the Mikes’ line, and Boldmere’s day was summed up when Freddie Cockerell was clear through on goal…and somehow was thwarted by the efforts of substitute Ethan Johnston and keeper Snedker. At least Villa fans present were consoled by watching their team, before kick-off, grab a late winner against Arsenal; your correspondent (an Albion supporter) and his wife (a Coventry fan) had no such consolation: their teams lost by the same score as the Mikes! The coach drive home was a much quieter affair than its predecessor, when we’d returned from victory at St. Neots.
Wellingborough Town: Dean Snedker; Charlie Green; Sam Warburton; George Barnell; Jack O’Connor; Glenn Walker; Connor Furlong; Danny Draper; Nile Ranger (Archie Murray, 86); Will Jones (Ethan Johnston, 74); Theo Robinson (Joziah Barrett, 82). Subs. not used: Joe Pursey; Romeo Ingman.
Boldmere St Michaels: Jonathan Brown; Ben George (Kye Bilton, 80); Jordan Gough (Brett Lloyd, 80); Aris Christophorou; Pedro Lima; Charlie Manners (Freddie Cockerell, 69); Jack Burgess; Daniel O’Callaghan (Pierre Phillips, 90); Kyle Byrne (Frankie Ealing, 59); Tolani Omotola; Ben Lund.