Boston United 1-1 Worcester City

Jay Rollins' opener on 36 minutes was fortuitously cancelled out in first half stoppage time by City's Jordan Murphy.

United had a handful of chances to win it in the second half, but were indebted to keeper Fabian Spiess for a crucial double save in stoppage time to preserve a point.

The Pilgrims were completely unchanged from their 2-1 win at Bradford Park Avenue on Wednesday evening and could have led within five minutes but Dayle Southwell could only fire wide after being played through by strike partner John Sands.

A rising drive from Amadou Bakayoko narrowly cleared Spiess' crossbar, before the United keeper stuck out a big hand to claw another effort to safety from the Walsall loanee.

Southwell had three further chances but all three efforts lacked the necessary power or accuracy to seriously trouble Nathan Vaughan in the Worcester goal.

United took the lead nine minutes before the break with a superb breakaway goal, instigated by Scott Garner's clearing header and Grant Roberts' pass with ROLLINS coolly beating Vaughan from 18 yards.

City levelled 69 seconds into first half stoppage time when Bakayoko's wayward drive took a massive deflection into the net off MURPHY despite a strong sniff of offside.

Vaughan made crucial saves after the break to deny Sands and Roberts, but United found City a tough nut to crack, despite throwing on attacking options Kaine Felix, Cameron Johnson and Mark Jones.

There was a big chance for City with Connor Gater firing wide from 20 yards while United went close when both Jones and then Worcester's Wayne Thomas went agonisingly close to converting Dylan McEvoy's driven cross.

Bakayoko, booked earlier for time-wasting, received a straight red card for kicking out at Liam Marrs with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, City almost nicked three points in added time and were only denied by a magnificent save from Spiess to tip Shaun Donnellan's free-kick on to the bar and then thwart substitute Lee Hughes' follow-up.

Boston (4-4-2): Fabian Spiess; Liam Marrs, Scott Garner, Carl Piergianni, Dylan McEvoy; Lewis Hilliard (Kaine Felix 74), Grant Roberts, Stephane Ngamvoulou, Jay Rollins; Dayle Southwell (Mark Jones 84), John Sands (Cameron Johnson 74). Subs (not used): Joe Burgess, Ioan Evans.

Worcester (4-3-3): Nathan Vaughan; Sam Minihan, Tom Sharpe, Wayne Thomas, Alex Gudger; Shaun Donnellan, Danny Jackman (Lee Hughes 74), Connor Gater; Daniel Nti, Amadou Bakayoko, Jordan Murphy. Subs (not used): Deon Burton, Marius Ologu, Dean Waldron, Ethan Ross (gk).

Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis.

Attendance: 1,228 (17 visitors).