Hinckley United 1-2 Boston United

Weir-Daley produced two brilliant finishes, one in either half, to sandwich Lloyd Kerry’s first half equaliser.

The victory in Leicestershire moved the Pilgrims six points off the play-off positions with nine games to play.

With Weir-Daley selected from the start, United were bright from the off at the Greene King Stadium and Nathan Stainfield had an early shot held by ex-Pilgrim Dan Haystead following an Ian Ross corner.

Under the watchful gaze of former bosses Rob Scott and Paul Hurst, the Pilgrims continued to shade the opening throes and rattled the post through Marc Newsham following a Ross free-kick.

In response, Danny Newton and Haydn Hollis both saw chances deflect marginally wide as the Pilgrims’ defenders were called upon to keep the scoreline blank.

Boston took the lead on 27 minutes when Ben Fairclough forced the ball through into the path of WEIR-DALEY who took a touch before finishing with aplomb low to Haystead’s left.

The lead lasted only five minutes though. Boston surrendered possession on the Hinckley left and being teed up by Andre Gray, KERRY fired home a deflected effort which gave Paul Bastock no chance.

Hinckley ended the half well, with Bastock denying Gray, while Kerry’s follow-up clipped the outside of the post.

The Pilgrims carved out the first opening of the second period with Danny Sleath playing Weir-Daley into the clear, but he could only drag an effort well wide from an ever-increasing angle.

Boston re-established their lead on 70 minutes when Haystead brilliantly denied Newsham, only for WEIR-DALEY to emphatically smash home the rebound from 15 yards.

Bastock made a good save from a Gray header, before clutching an effort from Richard Lavery, but the Pilgrims were closest to scoring in the final stages when Weir-Daley’s goalbound hat-trick effort was heroically blocked by Jake Holt.

Hinckley (4-4-2): Dan Haystead; Jake Holt, Paul Lister, Haydn Hollis, Callum Flanagan; Lloyd Kerry, Richard Lavery, Andy Gooding (Sam Belcher 84), Mark Dudley (Tom Byrne 75); Andre Gray, Danny Newton. Subs: Daniel Bragoli, Ben Richards-Everton.

Boston (4-3-3): Paul Bastock; Conor Marshall, Tom Ward, Nathan Stainfield, Gareth Jelleyman; Ben Milnes, Ian Ross, Danny Sleath; Ben Fairclough (Jason Lee 73), Spencer Weir-Daley, Marc Newsham (Chris Hall 86). Subs (not used): Kevin Austin, Tyrone Kirk, Lee Canoville.

Referee: Steve Plane