Gloucester City 3-1 Boston United

A first half of reasonable promise was undone by Ed Williams’ 41st minute opener for the hosts, although United did hit back before the break through Gregg Smith.

United served up a limp second half display though, with Zack Kotwica and Luke Hopper striking either side of Hopper being denied from the penalty spot by Christian Dibble.

The result extended the Pilgrims’ poor start to the campaign, with August yielding just one win and one draw from seven matches contested.

Dennis Greene named an unchanged starting XI and United were the better team in the opening stages, utilising the pace of Jay Rollins off target man Smith.

Rollins came close to breaking the deadlock in the 19th minute. He was denied by a close-range Spencer Hamilton block before rattling the bar with a follow-up overhead kick.

Dibble excelled to claw Hopper’s goalbound header over the bar following Lewis Hall’s left-wing cross before City edged in front four minutes before the break.

The Pilgrims failed to clear a ball into the box and WILLIAMS crashed home a sublime volley from inside the area.

United mustered an immediate response, with SMITH powering home a close-range header following Jason St Juste’s free-kick.

Boston’s hopes of a first away win were handed a blow two minutes after half-time when KOTWICA outmuscled Joe Maguire to run on and finish with aplomb beyond Dibble.

City were handed a chance to kill the contest on 62 minutes when Joe Burgess hauled down Kotwica but Dibble saved well to deny Hopper from the spot.

Gloucester did seal the deal 10 minutes later when HOPPER shrugged off Joe Robinson to arrow home an angled drive which Dibble was unable to keep out.

Gloucester (4-3-3): Jas Singh; Keiran Thomas, Spencer Hamilton, Jack Deaman, Lewis Hall; Calvin Dinsley (Joe Hanks 87), Tom Webb, Chris Knowles; Zack Kotwica, Luke Hopper (Bobbie Dale 90), Ed Williams (Joe Parker 68). Subs (not used): Sam Avery, Craig Reid.

Boston (4-4-2): Christian Dibble; Joe Burgess, Joe Maguire, Joe Robinson, Courtney Wildin; Marcus Marshall (Lamin Colley 64), Herve Pepe-Ngoma, Jack McMillan (Lewis Hilliard 46), Jason St Juste (Callum Chippendale 64); Jay Rollins, Gregg Smith.

Referee: Steven Copeland.

Attendance: 469.