Centre-forward Kieran Squires was the hat-trick hero for Boss FC as they won an 11-goal thriller at Hardwicke 3rds.

He helped his side to a 6-5 victory in Stroud League Division 3N, their fourth win in five games after they had won only one of their first eight.

“It was a bit of a crazy game to be fair,” said 38-year-old central midfielder Daniel Cunningham with some understatement. “We were 6-2 up with 10 minutes to go.

“We’re quite an old team, they upped the intensity and we were getting tired but we held on. Their fifth goal was the last kick of the game.”

Cunningham scored one of Boss’ goals on Saturday – Dean Evans and Kirubel Gebreyesus also got on the scoresheet – but the experienced Squires was the undoubted star.

“He scored the goal of the game, a chip from 35 yards with the keeper off his line,” said Cunningham, who has been with Boss since they were formed in 2016.

Squires also set up Cunningham for his goal.

“He back-heeled it to me," Cunningham said. “I was through one-on-one with the keeper, I gave him the eyes!”

Squires also fired home a free-kick and Cunningham continued: “He’s got a great left foot, we’re lucky to have him.

“He’s a big lad, very strong, but he’s very technical. He’s both-footed, he’s a number 9 but he can drop in too.”   

Improving Boss are eighth in the 11-team division, three points adrift of fourth-placed Quedgeley Wanderers Reserves.

“We lost five or six players at the start of the season so we’ve had a massive rebuild,” added Cunningham.

“The aim is to stay in the division and then push on.”

Manager Kevin Roy is another who has been with the club since the start and Cunningham, who scored the club’s first ever goal in the Stroud League back in 2020/21 against Longford, wants to remain part of the club going forward.

“It depends on the legs but I want to keep playing for as long as I can,” he said.

Boss’ next league game is at Longlevens 4ths on Saturday 24th January.