Boro Vets Leave It Late in Six-Goal Thriller Against Kew Park Rangers
Boro Vets 3-3 Kew Park Rangers

After the opening two games of the season, manager Carl Nicholas settled on a strong 4-4-2 formation as Boro Vets welcomed fellow Premiership relegation battlers Kew Park Rangers.

The visitors started brightly and looked keen to stamp their authority on the game from the first whistle. However, the early talking point wasn't the football. Play was temporarily halted when referee Ray spotted that Kew Rangers appeared to have three different versions of their kit on display.
Once normal service resumed, it was Kew Rangers who struck first to take a 1-0 lead. Boro, though, showed plenty of character to respond. A corner caused absolute chaos in the six-yard box, with the ball seemingly bouncing around for what felt like two minutes before eventually being bundled home. Mark Harris was first to claim the goal, although Lee Sutton also put forward a very enthusiastic claim despite being nowhere near the action.

The contest remained evenly balanced, with chances at both ends, before producing the moment of the match. Spotting the Kew goalkeeper well off his line, Lee Sutton looked up from the halfway line and unleashed an audacious effort that sailed over the stranded keeper and into the net. The stunning lob lifted Boro spirits and appeared to knock the wind out of Kew Park Rangers, as the hosts went into the break holding a 2-1 advantage.

If Boro thought the hard work was done, Kew Rangers had other ideas. They emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and quickly turned the game on its head, scoring twice in quick succession to move 3-2 ahead.

The game continued to swing from end to end, with neither side willing to settle. As the clock ticked down, Boro Vets threw everything forward in search of an equaliser. Their persistence paid off in the dying moments when Darren Powell twisted brilliantly in the penalty area before being completely wiped out by a desperate defender.

With the pressure mounting, Lee Sutton stepped up and calmly dispatched the penalty, his effort clipping the post on its way in to secure a dramatic last-minute equaliser.

Special praise must go to Darren Powell and Pete Renwick, who soldiered on throughout despite both appearing to be carrying injuries and sporting ankles that had swollen to almost balloon-like proportions. Fortunately, with no fixture scheduled next week, both veterans have some much-needed recovery time ahead.

In truth, a 3-3 draw was probably a fair reflection of an entertaining contest. Kew Park Rangers may feel aggrieved at conceding so late, but Boro Vets showed great resilience to battle back once again.
The result leaves Boro Vets still searching for their first win of the season, with a record of two draws and one defeat from their opening three matches.

Man of the Match
? Lee Sutton
An overwhelming choice from team-mates and supporters alike. A spectacular halfway-line lob, a nerveless last-minute penalty, and an all-round influential display made him the standout performer on the pitch.

Stevie C