Jahvan Davidson-Miller netted a hat-trick to fire Long Eaton United to a first league win of the season, as The Blues blasted 4 past Boston Town at Grange Park...

FULL REPORT, BY DAN BISHOP:

LONG EATON UNITED 4–1 BOSTON TOWN

Long Eaton United produced their best performance of the season as Jahvan Davidson-Miller’s hat-trick and a late Riley McLachlan goal secured an emphatic 4–1 victory over Boston Town at Grange Park.

The Blues were on the front foot almost immediately. Inside the opening minute Jamie Hanson’s free-kick found Connor Pace, whose firm 20-yard effort was held by Jake West, before James Taylor flashed a ball across the face of goal which McLachlan came agonisingly close to turning home at the far post.

Boston showed their own threat when Will Van Lier found space inside the Long Eaton area, Callum Cocks timing his challenge perfectly, while Jordan Tate later headed wide.

But most of the early attacking football was being played by the Blues. George Atwal and Davidson-Miller combined to release Pace, who dragged a left-footed shot wide. In the next attack Pace switched play to Taylor on the right, and the winger fired a low ball across goal.
Harry Eden then found Davidson-Miller, whose first-time attempt was blocked by Tate, although Boston came within a whisker of taking the lead themselves on 17 minutes when Zak Munton beat Atwal before crashing a left-footed effort against the crossbar.
Long Eaton responded and, after Taylor and Eden combined neatly down the flank, they finally made their pressure count after 22 minutes. Eden delivered a deep cross towards Taylor, who challenged goalkeeper West. The ball dropped loose to Davidson-Miller, leaving the striker with the simple task of finishing into the unguarded net.

The goal did little to slow Long Eaton down. Pace drove forward before finding Davidson-Miller, whose attempted cross came to nothing, while an Eden corner picked out Taylor at the far side of the area only for his header to drift wide.
McLachlan became increasingly influential. His cross found Cocks for a tame effort before the Mansfield Town loanee embarked on a mazy run, cut inside and fired over. Pace then released Taylor again, the winger creating space for a shot which flew narrowly wide.
Boston captain Richard Ford was booked after bringing Davidson-Miller down near the corner, and Long Eaton continued to carry the greater attacking threat as the interval approached.

They doubled their advantage four minutes before the break. Davidson-Miller released McLachlan out wide and continued his run into the area. McLachlan returned the ball and Davidson-Miller produced the touch and finish to make it 2–0 and put Long Eaton firmly in command.
There was still time for Taylor to fashion another opportunity, squaring towards Davidson-Miller before the move was cut out, while the striker himself fired wide after further good work involving Eden.

McLachlan almost added a spectacular third moments after the restart. Cutting inside onto his right foot from more than 20 yards, he curled an effort beyond West only for the ball to crash against the top of the crossbar.
Boston attempted to find a route back into the game, but Gianluca Bucci blocked an effort from Ted Gibbons before Hanson stopped the follow-up, and Bucci was there again moments later to prevent a dangerous cross reaching its target.
At the opposite end, McLachlan was denied by the woodwork for a second time on 52 minutes, while Atwal set the tone for Long Eaton’s determination with a crunching challenge on Gibbons shortly afterwards.

The visitors did eventually reduce the deficit just after the hour. Harry Limb’s cross deflected behind off Eden and the resulting corner was delivered into the near-post area, where Matt Cotton got to the ball amid a crowd of players and forced it beyond Lewis King.
For a brief period Boston had renewed hope, although Taylor almost restored the two-goal advantage immediately when he spotted West away from his line and attempted an audacious lob which dropped just wide.
Kris Zaluzinskis was booked for hauling Davidson-Miller down as Long Eaton broke, before Cocks nearly produced a goal from distance, his powerful strike from the corner of the penalty area requiring West to tip it over.
Boston were now committing more players forward and began to test King, but that merely created further space for Long Eaton’s counter attacks.

On 70 minutes, McLachlan released the overlapping Eden, whose square ball was cleared only as far as Taylor. His powerful effort brought another save from West.
A minute later, however, there was no reprieve. Hanson threaded an excellent pass through to Davidson-Miller, who rounded West and calmly rolled the ball home to complete his hat-trick and restore Long Eaton’s two-goal cushion.

McLachlan somehow remained without a goal. Davidson-Miller found him two minutes later and the youngster cut inside before bending another right-footed effort beyond the goalkeeper — only to see this one strike the post.
Boston continued to search for a consolation and Cotton twice found himself bearing down on goal, but King stood up superbly, making himself big to deny the forward and preserve Long Eaton’s advantage.
With seven minutes remaining, McLachlan finally received the reward his performance deserved. Long Eaton broke quickly with Taylor carrying the ball down the right. His delivery picked out the arriving McLachlan, who met it first time and this time made no mistake, firing home to make it 4–1.

Boston might still have reduced the margin during stoppage time, but King ensured the scoreline reflected Long Eaton’s dominance. He turned Cotton’s 12-yard effort wide before producing an excellent point-blank stop after Cotton weaved his way into the area.
It completed a night on which Long Eaton combined attacking prowess with defensive resilience, with Davidson-Miller’s clinical hat-trick providing the goals but outstanding contributions throughout the side making it difficult to single out any one performer.

LINEUP: King(c) - Atwal (Maslenikov 88), Eden, Cotterill, Bucci - Cocks (Johnson 88), McLachlan, Pace, Hanson (Howes 71), Taylor - Davidson-Miller (Williamson 88).
Sub not used; Cole
Booking; Eden (86) unsporting behaviour
Goals; Davidson-Miller 23, 41, 70. McLachlan 83.
Assists; Taylor (23), McLachlan (41), Hanson (70), Taylor (83)
Attendance; 150