Overview

The Pilgrims make the trip to TR4 for a first ever meeting with Truro City tomorrow (Saturday) – 3.00pm.

Currently occupying a mid-table berth in the Enterprise National League, Boston have picked up two wins whilst suffering two defeats in their four games to date.

Graham Coughlan’s side were due to face Morecambe on the opening day, but that game was postponed due to the Shrimps’ financial worries at the time. Thankfully, they have now been resolved and this game will be rescheduled for later in the campaign.

The Pilgrims’ first game came on the road at Aldershot with the visitors shading an odd goal in five thriller against the 10-man hosts. Theo Widrington saw red for Aldershot and goals from Level John-Lewis (2) and Gregg Slogett saw the points head back to Lincolnshire.

However, the side’s next two games ended in defeat, going down 1-0 to Halifax while losing by two goals without registering at Eastleigh.

In their last game, which took place on bank holiday Monday, Boston defeated Wealdstone 2-1.

Last Time Out

Lenell John-Lewis and Greg Sloggett were once again the Pilgrims’ match-winners as Wealdstone felt unfortunate to head back to the capital empty handed after a 2-1 reverse

The visitors were dominant early in the piece and Nathan Tshikuna struck the crossbar with the same player forcing home custodian Rhys Lovett, who was with Welling United last term, into a fine save. 

After the interval, Boston scored early in the piece when John-Lewis found the mark after great work from interval substitute Kieren Donnelly. Sloggett had a chance to increase the Pilgrims’ lead with a free-kick that was saved by Lovett’s opposite number Dante Baptiste. 

Despite falling behind, Wealdstone were dominant and deservedly levelled when MIcah Obiero’s magnificent diving header was too good for Lovett with 21 minutes left. 

And the same player then was denied by the woodwork before Lovett came to Boston’s rescue, denying former Torquay midfielder Omar Mussa, before keeping out Max Kretzschmar’s effort too. 

Then, against the run of play as the game neared its final 10 minutes, Sloggett scored from inside the six-yard box after Jordy Hiwula hat shot from a tight angle. 

Last Season

When Graham Coughlan took over the Boston hot seat from the departed Ian Culverhouse in November last year, his task of saving the Pilgrims from relegation, even at that stage looked slim. 

Seven points adrift of safety and only basement dwellers Ebsfleet below them in the table, shoots of recovery came in Coughlan’s first game, when he led his new team to a 3-1 win over Braintree Town. 

Despite the side losing 4-0 to Oldham in their next game, Coughlan, a non-nonsense defender by trade, immediately tightened up the Pilgrims’ rearguard. 

They may not have won again until mid-January, but the games that were lost were by fine margins and useful draws were picked up too. 

Boston’s victory during the first month of 2025 was significant however, with a 3-1 triumph over promotion chasing York City. 

Just two wins in February saw the side still staring down the barrel of an immediate return to Step Two but the month of March changed the Pilgrims’ season completely. 

Playing nine games, an incredible return of 20 points was gained, with this significant haul started by a 3-1 away win over fellow strugglers Dagenham & Redbridge, who would go down on the final day. 

Yeovil, Southend, Sutton and Rochdale also had their colours lowered by Coughlan’s charges, while Woking held the side to a 2-2 draw at the Jakemans. The only blemish on Boston’s record was a 4-1 defeat at Hartlepool, but now survival was more than just a possibility. 

Consecutive April wins over Wealdstone, Altrincham and Aldershot almost ensured safety, but there was a setback when Solihull Moors defeated Boston 3-2 on Easter Monday. 

However, in the side’s penultimate game at home to Gateshead, a 2-1 victory saw relegation avoided, something which Coughlan described as a ‘miracle’. 

The Gaffer

A defender of tough and uncompromising standing, Graham Coughlan’s career began in his native Ireland for Leinster outfit Cherry Orchard, before joining Bray Wanderers. 

After a brief spell with the Seagulls, he joined Blackburn Rovers, who at the time were champions of England and reaping the rewards of then owner Jack Walker’s heavy investment. 

But in four years at Ewood Park, Coughlan failed to make a senior appearance for Rovers and had short loan spells at Swindon Town and Scottish outfit Livingston. 

When his contract was up at Blackburn, Coughlan joined Livingston on a permanent basis and after a half century of appearances, moved south of the border to Plymouth Argyle. 

Arguably the most successful time of his playing career came over a four year spell at Home Park, where alongside Green’s legends such as former City boss Paul Wotton, Argyle secured two promotions to hoist themselves from what is now League 2 to the Championship.

But in 2005, he was reacquainted with Paul Sturrock, the manager who signed Coughlan first for Argyle, with Luggy, as he was affectionately known, now managing Sheffield Wednesday. 

Two years at Hillsborough followed before he left and further spells at Shrewsbury, Rotherham and finally Southend United ensued, before retirement in 2013. 

A move into coaching followed and his first job came at Bristol Rovers, initially as caretaker manager following the departure of Darrell Clarke. 

Coughlan was manager of the blue half Bristol for 12 months before he took up a similar role with Mansfield because of his family’s base in South Yorkshire.

After less than a year in charge at Field Mill, he joined the coaching staff at Sheffield United before a move back into full-time management three years ago with Newport County. 

Responsible for the signing of Luke Jephcott to the Welsh Exiles, Coughlan left Rodney Parade in the summer of 2024 and took over as Boston manager in November last year. 

One to Watch

Veteran striker Lenell John-Lewis was an eye-catching capture for the Pilgrims, moving to the Jakemans from last year’s beaten play-off semi-finalist York City. 

But the move back to Lincolnshire should come of little surprise to those that have followed John-Lewis’ career closely as he first cut his footballing teeth at Grantham Town. 

He then joined Lincoln City as a teenager and spent four years at Sincil Bank, then joining Bury, who were in the professional ranks back then, in 2010. 

The lure of Lincs then came calling again as he was off to Grimsby Town in 2013 for two years before John-Lewis also represented Newport County and Shrewsbury.

Released by Salop in 2020, he spent a year out the game before linking up with Hereford during the second of two covid-19 disrupted seasons. 

After almost 12 months at Edgar Street, it was back to Grimsby again and that same year, 2022, he joined York City on loan, signed by now City boss John Askey, during his LNER Stadium tenure. 

A permanent move to York in July 2022, where he remained until joining Boston this summer. 

Last term, John-Lewis scored five goals and claimed four assists as the Minstermen missed out on automatic promotion, to only lose at the play-off semi-final stage to eventual winners Oldham Athletic.