Carl Heeley made four changes to the side that lost at Stalybridge, bringing in both goal scorers Jamie Smith and Andre Brown, as well as Tyler Weir and Ashley Vincent.

On a very windy night, City adapted better than Boston for most of the match. After seven minutes, Ashley Vincent had the ball in the net for City but was flagged offside, after good work from Sam Minihan.

Then Danny Jackman won a free kick around 25 yards out, which brought City the first goal of the game. Captain Ellis Deeney teed up Jamie Smith to hit one, who delicately side footed the ball into the top corner.

Man of the match Daniel Nti was a bright spark down City’s right who had a great chance to make it 2-0, as he got on the end of a through ball and took it round Henrich Ravas with his deflected shot, but couldn’t get past him a second time trying to cut back in on his right.

Boston then had a penalty appeal waved away by the referee, as Ryan Robbins went down in the area after a challenge by Tom Sharpe.
And Boston’s best chance of the half came through John Sands, who got on the end of a quick free kick but shot across the onrushing Ethan Ross and wide.

City then had a great chance to double their lead before half time, as Nti held up the ball well on the edge of the box and his turning volley struck the post and the follow up from Vincent was wide.

The first chance of the second half was an equaliser from Boston, as confusion between Weir and Vincent led to a Boston break where the league’s top scorer Dayle Southwell fired past Ross from the edge of the box to make it 1-1.

The Pilgrims were dominating the first ten minutes after the break, and another great chance fell to Southwell, whose free kick was tipped over the bar by home debutant Ethan Ross. And from the resulting corner, Robbins had a shot which went over the bar.
But then City came back into it, and had a glorious chance to retake the lead. After good work from Vincent and Smith, Weir’s cross from the left found Nti at the back post, except his header from 5 yards was straight at Ravas.

However, five minutes later, City regained the lead through Andre Brown. A long ball from Weir found Vincent, whose low drive from the right was turned in by Brown to score his first goal for City.

City then had two great chances to kill the game off. Firstly, substitute Tristian Dunkley’s pace down the left led him to scuff his shot into the side netting. Then, Minihan’s low cross from the right was shot wide by Brown.

The final few moments saw City under the cosh, as the Pilgrims were searching for a late equaliser. From a free kick whipped into the City box, Boston skipper Scott Garner had his header brilliantly saved by Ross. Ross then failed to deal with a long ball, but the City defence cleared.

City deservedly got the 3 points that took them off the bottom of the league and out of the relegation places.

Match Report: Keiren Bullimore