By Luke Gurney
Hanley Town kicked off their 2021/22 FA Vase campaign with a win as a second half goal by Reece Jones sealed a hard earned 1-0 win over Boston Town.
Jones was on target for the second game in a row following his goal against Racing Club Warwick in midweek taking his tally to eight for the season.
The first half was uneventful by Hanley’s standards going into the break at 0-0, with the best chance of the half falling for the home side when they hit the cross bar from a long-range effort early on.
Hanley started the second half a lot better though, creating a lot more chances and getting a foothold in the game.
Hanley finally got the opener after 76 minutes when a corner from Louis Dodds was headed straight back out by the Boston defender to the feet of Dodds who then put a second ball into the box where Jones, despite being one of the smallest players on the pitch outjumped several Boston defenders to head Hanley in front.
Following the goal, the floodgates opened, and the chances started to flow for Hanley where straight away in the 78th minute Dodds played through Jones once again but fired a shot at straight at the keeper.
Ryan Campbell-Gordon then forced the Boston keeper into a spectacular save, as his header was saved by the keeper at full stretch to his left-hand side.
Despite a late onslaught of attacks from Boston in the closing stages with several long throws into the box, they never really troubled keeper Kieran Harrison, who was making his debut following his move from Kidsgrove Athletic last week.
There was another full debut as Jake Twyford who also joined from Kidsgrove started his first match in a Hanley shirt after coming on late as a substitute against Racing Club Warwick in midweek.
Hanley will now travel to Sanbach United in the Second Round of the FA Vase on the 20th of November.
After the game Player Manager Carl Dickinson was full of praise for match winner Jones.
Speaking to the club media he said: “He’s got such a great leap and he’s got so many abilities; he just needs to keep bringing them out. He should be a defender’s worst nightmare and on his day he is.”
Hanley are next in action on Friday night as they travel to Uttoxeter town in a local derby.