Boston United 1-1 Scunthorpe United

A keenly-contested Lincolnshire derby was played out in front of a bumper Jakemans Community Stadium attendance.

Connor Smith fired the Iron in front after 75 minutes but Richards levelled with a neat finish five minutes later. Michael Bostwick subsequently rattled the post deep into stoppage time.

United boss Ian Culverhouse had opted for an unchanged XI ahead of kick-off, while the Pilgrims' 31-goal top scorer of 2021-2022, Danny Elliott, was on the Iron bench.

The match had initially been in doubt as fog enveloped the stadium, but referee Michael Robertson-Tant gave the go ahead and both sides took a while to find their attacking rhythm.

Martin Woods had an early free-kick gathered by ex-Pilgrim Ross Fitzsimons, while Jason Law went close for the visitors.

The Pilgrims came to life after the break, with Fitzsimons denying Jimmy Knowles, who then found himself through on goal, but denied brilliantly by a back-peddling Andrew Boyce.

The Iron took the lead with 15 minutes to play when Brad Nicholson cheaply surrendered possession to substitute Jack Jenkins and he teed up SMITH to finish low into Cameron Gregory's bottom right-hand corner.

United's response was swift, with Bostwick and Mills linking up nicely to roll the ball into the path of RICHARDS, who swivelled brilliantly and drove home across the dive of Fitzsimons.

The Pilgrims came within a whisker of all three points in the fifth minute of additional time, with Bostwick's header rattling the post and Nicholson seeing the rebound charged to safety.

Boston (4-1-2-1-2): Cameron Gregory; Zak Mills, Michael Bostwick, Brad Nicholson, Ethan Sephton (Dylan Hill 46); Martin Woods, Jordan Richards, Keziah Martin (Jai Rowe 79); Keaton Ward; Kelsey Mooney, Jimmy Knowles. Subs (not used): Tom Leak, Tom Edge, Tyler Knowles.

Scunthorpe (4-3-3): Ross Fitzsimons; Reagan Ogle, Andrew Boyce, Will Evans, Tyler Denton; Michael Clunan, Kian Scales, Jacob Butterfield (Jack Jenkins 70); Jason Law (Cameron Wilson 57), Danny Whitehall (Danny Elliott 77), Connor Smith. Subs (not used): Michael Kelly, Ross Barrows.

Referee: Michael Robertson-Tant.

Attendance: 2,178 (570 visitors).

PIC: Russell Dossett.