Boston United 1-1 Stalybridge Celtic

Dayle Southwell's 27th minute penalty had seemingly put the Pilgrims on course for their fourth victory of the season, but slack marking from a free-kick allowed Liam Dickinson to level three minutes before the break.

Chances were few and far between after the break although Southwell did force former United keeper Lewis King into a brilliant save before hitting the crossbar with a header.

United boss Dennis Greene had opted to recall Sam Vince at the expense of Matt Gledhill ahead of kick-off, while new singing Liam Marrs made his first appearance of his second spell with the Pilgrims.

United carved through the Celtic rearguard early on and a brilliant break from Kaine Felix down the Boston left should have led to the game's opening goal but he stood on the ball as he prepared to shoot.

The Pilgrims took the lead when Matt Hughes was penalised for handling Niall Doran's shot and after a lengthy delay where two Celtic players were cautioned for their protests, SOUTHWELL calmly slotted the ball low to King's left.

Celtic responded and Paul Ennis' curling free-kick fizzed across goal and agonisingly wide. The same player soon lobbed wide following King's booming clearance downfield.

Ennis was the provider of Celtic's equaliser on 42 minutes, whipping over a free-kick awarded for handball against Michael Hollingsworth for DICKINSON to power home a close-range header unopposed past an exposed Vince.

King made a terrific save six minutes after half-time to claw Southwell's drive over the bar following Danny Meadows' cross.

Southwell then rattled a header off the bar from Zak Mills' long throw.

Substitute Conor Marshall had a late drive charged away for a corner, while Celtic's Matt Mainwaring cleared Vince's crossbar from distance as both sides were forced to settle for a point apiece.

Boston (4-1-3-2): Sam Vince; Zak Mills, Scott Garner, Carl Piergianni, Rene Steer; Michael Hollingsworth (Conor Marshall 87); Liam Marrs, Niall Doran (David Fallah 63), Danny Meadows; Dayle Southwell, Kaine Felix. Subs (not used): Stefan Galinski, Jack Barlow, Matt Gledhill (gk).

Stalybridge (4-2-3-1): Lewis King; Kelvin Bleau, Matt Regan, Matt Hughes, Jack Truelove; Sam Staunton-Turner (Harley Wigley 86), Matt Mainwaring; Aidan Chippendale (Wade Joyce 63), Paul Ennis, Ben McKenna; Liam Dickinson. Subs (not used): James Cadman, George Lomax, Oliver Martin (gk).

Referee: Ricky Wootton.

Attendance: 1,001 (13 visitors).

PIC: Tim Hoff.