COLUMN: Phew-lis! Quick-thinking ball boy recovers memento Jordan's Boston United hat-trick heroics deserved

An unnamed hero, to whom Jordan Thewlis owes a huge debt of gratitude.

As the final whistle blew, calling an end to Boston United’s 3-1 victory on the road on Saturday, the ball was hoofed out of New Bucks Head and into the car park.

Hat-trick hero Thewlis may have feared his memento of the occasion - a 10-minute treble, the fastest from a Boston player since Phil Brown v Colwyn Bay almost 23 years ago (thanks @bostonutdstats) - had been lost.

But the young man headed out the ground and diligently recovered it, returning it to the striker whose goals secured the Pilgrims a second away league win of the campaign.

And boy did Thewlis deserve that ball.

His perfect hat-trick was a thing of beauty.

Goal number one, the equaliser, was a combination of quick feet and quick thinking as he dragged Martyn Woolford’s telling cross onto his left foot to fire home at the near post.

Number two, a confident penalty, was guided home by his faithful right foot.

But Thewlis saved the best until last, a glancing header that was guided home with precision.

In my opinion, none of those goals were as jaw dropping as the individual efforts against Southport and Bradford Park Avenue.

But to show such differing techniques - within the space of 10 minutes, in one game - takes a special talent.

Saturday’s hat-trick took Thewlis’ tally to 11 goals in 16 games.

Nicky Walker was Boston’s leading scorer last season with 11, and it took him 35 matches to get there.

The previous campaign it took Kabongo Tshimanga 31 and Ashley Hemmings 35 matches to bag goal number 11.

When Jordan Thewlis suffered severe ligament damage less than 20 minues into his Pilgrims debut at Chorley last season, we probably all thought that was the last we’d see of the Harrogate Town loanee in a United shirt.

But Craig Elliott worked hard to get his man this summer and has been thoroughly rewards.

I’m not sure which Pilgrims goalscorer you could most liken him to.

He has the tricky feet and determination of Dayle Southwell, the striker’s instinct of Marc Newsham and the confidence from the spot of Ricky Miller - added to the willingness to play a role out wide when needed.

Perhaps it’s unwise to try to compare him.

At this rate he may well be going down in Pilgrims folklore in his own right.

Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for the AFC Telford United ball boy.

An an even bigger one for Jordan Thewlis.