In-demand Portsmouth, Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End target and ex-Priory School lad boost reputations in dramatic eight-goal thriller

And Will Boyle bolstered his promising standing with a two-goal haul in Cheltenham’s dramatic 4-4 draw with Accrington yesterday.

The Blues defensive target took centre stage at the Crown Ground in the eight-goal thriller as he salvaged a point for his side with a late, late leveller.

Cheltenham boss, Michael Duff, this week admitted it’s likely Boyle will be on his way this summer with his contract coming to a close.

Pompey are among a number of sides including Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End to show an interest in the 26-year-old.

And it was easy to see why following his contribution to his side’s comeback against John Coleman’s men

Alfie May had put the visitors in front early on before Portsmouth’s Tommy Leigh and Sean McConville turned the game on its head in first-half stoppage time.

Former Bognor and Baffins Milton Rovers man Leigh then showed his quality with a cool finish three minutes after the restart.

That took his total to the campaign to eight goals in a breakthrough season at senior level for the former Priory School pupil.

Boyle pulled one back with header from a set-piece in the 66th minute, but Ellis Chapman’s own goal with three minutes remaining looked to have won it for Accrington.

That proved the catalyst for a frenetic finale, however, with Boyle involved in the move which saw Callum Wright score in the 90th minute, moments before Accrington’s Ross Sykes was sent off.

With Cheltenham throwing bodies forward the stage was set for Boyle’s intervention six minutes into stoppage time, as he rifled a left-footed finish to salvage a point for his side.

The double took Boyle’s goal total to 26 in 191 appearances for the side he joined in 2017 - an impressive return for a central defender.

His manager Duff saw his captain’s performance as clear evidence he is committed to the Chelteham cause despite speculation about his future.

He told Gloucestershire Live: ‘He (Boyle) is one of a number that are out of contract.

‘Ultimately he’s a professional footballer and with all of them, it’s in their hands whether they want to stay or they don’t.

‘You aren’t thinking about contracts when you are playing in the game.

‘You don’t question them and if I smelled any sort of “I don’t want to be playing” you’d take them out of the team.

‘It was a weird emotion at the end because you should be absolutely delighted, but I watched so much I wasn’t happy with, I found it hard to celebrate the goal.

‘I am annoyed with myself now because these games don’t come around very often and we’ve had a few of them recently.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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