A real even affair on a hot summer night edged out by the higher league opposition courtesy of an 85th minute goal from the infamous Mr A Trialist. It’s a well-known cliché that pre-season friendlies are all about gaining fitness and experimenting with new shapes and formations and it is but the Brewers battled tremendously hard against a tough side.

Manager Michael Morton was able to hand a debut to new striker Joe Lumsden as well as welcoming number one goalkeeper Michael Ingham into his team for the first time in pre-season. It was the visitors from Lincolnshire that were first to threaten as a corner kick caused Albion problems with Spencer Harris blocking a clearance which cannoned off the face of the crossbar.

At the other end Joe Lumsden was looking to impress his new supporters and he showed some promise in a frantic start to proceedings. The ex-Stocksbridge forward got his first real opportunity to show what he’s about four minutes from the break when he drove into the box only to come unstuck by Qualter again when twisting and turning and trying to pull the trigger. An even better chance fell Lumsden’s way two minutes later when a mistake from Qualter allowed the new Tad man to bare down on goal only to be denied by first goalkeeper George Willis and then defender John McCombe with a well-timed block.

The second half saw both sides make a number of substitutions, the majority of which being trialists for Boston and one of those aiming to catch the eye almost scored in bizarre circumstances when a daisy cutter squirmed through the legs of Michael Ingham only to be just retrieved just before rolling over the line.

Taddy continued to produce pleasing patterns of play out from the back and they came increasingly close to breaking the deadlock when Lumsden’s cross ran for Jack Walters at the back post who checked inside onto his weaker right-foot and bent a beauty off the crossbar.

Both sides continued to plug away at one another as Craig Elliott’s Boston side tried to force the issue as expected being two leagues higher. Another trialist flicked past the advancing Ingham but also past the post before they struck the woodwork for a second time, a trialist unleashing a soaring strike off the underside of the bar.

Albion, who had fewer substitutes, pushed hard once more with Aiden Savory seeing his deflected header hacked out from the six-yard box. Nevertheless it was the National League side who scored the only goal of the game five minutes from a time as a miscued finish beat substitute goalkeeper Tom Young.

Plenty more positives to take against a strong higher league opposition.