Droylsden 2-1 Boston United

Ross had levelled for the Pilgrims during the second half, after Steve Hall had handed the home side a 10th minute lead at the Butchers Arms.

With United streaming forward in search of a winning goal to boost their play-off aspirations, Droylsden striker Dale Johnson delivered a sucker-punch on the break to hand the Bloods all three points.

The result left the Pilgrims eight points short of the final play-off place, with seven matches of the Blue Square Bet North campaign to play.

New signings Kallum Smith and Josh Burge were included on the United bench, with Jason Lee and Lee Canoville opting for an unchanged starting XI.

The game’s first real chance led to the opening goal on 10 minutes. The Pilgrims only partially cleared a Shaun Holden throw-in and HALL blasted home an unstoppable effort, low to Paul Bastock’s left, from 20 yards.

The Pilgrims had arguably enjoyed the brighter start and their neat attacking play resumed with Marc Newsham’s diving header being saved by the giant frame of Danzelle St Louis Hamilton, following a Danny Sleath cross.

St Louis Hamilton then blocked a Ross drive from an angle as the Pilgrims cranked up the pressure.

Droylsden still had chances too, with Tom Fisher somehow hitting the post after Bastock had misjudged a Patrick Lacey free-kick, before Lacey himself curled an effort a fraction wide from 25 yards.

United had two goals ruled out for offside in quick succession. Spencer Weir-Daley teed up Newsham, whose close-range finish was correctly ruled out, but Weir-Daley’s angled drive moments later looked to be perfectly legal.

Boston were rampant after half-time. Newsham’s low effort was held by St Louis Hamilton following Weir-Daley’s flick. Weir-Daley then saw a cross-shot narrowly evade Ben Fairclough at the back post where a tap-in looked inevitable.

Clever hold-up play from Weir-Daley led to a United equaliser on 61 minutes. He laid the ball into the path of ROSS, who curled home a terrific effort from around 20 yards, giving St Louis Hamilton no chance.

United sensed victory and Gareth Jelleyman’s superb cross was met by substitute Ryan Semple’s firm header, only for keeper St Louis Hamilton to claw it away from the bottom corner with a world-class save.

Jelleyman then cut inside to curl a right footer a fraction wide, while Newsham could not get enough power on a shot to suitably trouble St Louis Hamilton.

United were piling bodies forward and were hit on the break with less than a quarter-of-an-hour to play. A raking throughball set JOHNSON clear and he held off the challenge of Tom Ward to lift the ball over an advancing Bastock.

Droylsden (4-4-2): Danzelle St Louis Hamilton; Cliff Moyo, Nat Kerr, Andy Langford, Shaun Holden; Carlos Logan (Alirou Nsangou 29), Lewis Killeen, Steve Hall (Warren Peyton 57), Patrick Lacey; Dale Johnson, Tom Fisher (Chris Brown 80). Subs (not used): James McKenzie, Sean Lake (gk).

Boston (4-3-3): Paul Bastock; Conor Marshall, Tom Ward, Nathan Stainfield, Gareth Jelleyman; Ben Milnes, Ian Ross, Danny Sleath; Ben Fairclough (Ryan Semple 62), Spencer Weir-Daley (Kallum Smith 74), Marc Newsham. Subs (not used): Josh Burge, Kevin Austin, Lee Canoville.

Referee: Matthew Parry