Stockport County 1-1 Boston United

Gregg Smith's seventh minute header was reward for the Pilgrims' strong start at Edgeley Park but it was cancelled out three minutes after the break by Danny Lloyd.

Both sides had chances during an entertaining second half, with United rattling the woodwork through Joe Maguire late on.

The visitors had got off to the best possible start with Marcus Marshall crossing brilliantly from the right and SMITH stealing a yard on his marker to power home a header which nestled high beyond Ben Hinchliffe’s reach.

County should have levelled midway through the first half when Josh Amis headed wide at the back post after meeting Jimmy Ball’s cross from the left, while Courtney Meppen-Walter saw a drive clutched by Dion-Curtis Henry.

United suffered a blow 10 minutes before half-time when midfielder Herve Pepe-Ngoma succumbed to a nasty-looking knee injury. He was replaced from the bench by fit-again Kalern Thomas.

United knew that a strong start to the second half was required to keep County at bay but their good work of the first period was undone within three minutes of the restart.

Skipper Liam Agnew cheaply surrendered possession and LLOYD fired a low effort into the far corner beyond Henry’s grasp.

United mustered a strong response to their setback and could have re-established their advantage on a number of occasions.

Smith clipped the post with one effort from an Agnew corner and then forced Hinchliffe to tip over from range after crashing goalwards.

Agnew then slammed an effort into the side-netting following Jay Rollins’ cross from the left, while substitute Waide Fairhurst had a header tipped over by Hinchliffe and Maguire crashed a header against the bar following another Agnew corner.

County upped the ante in the closing stages with Henry required to save well from his own player Smith, while Jimmy Ball fired high and wide when well-placed.

Lloyd had a last-gasp chance to win it for the hosts but fired wide as the spoils were shared.

Stockport (4-4-2): Ben Hinchliffe; Mark Ross, Michael Clarke, Chris Smalley (Glenn Rule 69), Scott Duxbury; Sam Minihan, Courtney Meppen-Walter, Lewis Montrose (Scott Spencer 46), Danny Lloyd; Jimmy Ball, Josh Amis (Kayode Odejayi 73). Subs (not used): John Marsden, Ian Ormson (gk).

Boston (4-4-2): Dion-Curtis Henry; Marcus Marshall, Joe Maguire, Joe Robinson, Jason St Juste; Herve Pepe-Ngoma (Kalern Thomas 35); Liam Agnew, Jack McMillan (Waide Fairhurst 57); Lewis Hilliard; Jay Rollins, Gregg Smith. Subs (not used): Lamin Colley, Courtney Wildin, Ollie Price.

Referee: Kevin Mulraine.

Attendance: 2,466 (82 visitors).