The Pilgrims roared into a 3-0 lead inside 38 minutes through Frankie Maguire, Jamie Grimes and Tom Cursons - but were made to sweat during a tense finale at the New Lawn.

Harvey Bunker reduced the arrears in the 71st minute and Tom Knowles further cut the deficit in the first minute of stoppage time - but the Pilgrims did enough to hold on for a seventh away win in National League action so far this season.

United had suffered an injury blow ahead of kick-off, with on-loan goalkeeper Andrew Wogan ruled out with a thigh injury. Rhys Lovett was his replacement, while new signing Liam McCarron was named on the bench for the first time.

The Pilgrims were handed a glorious opportunity to take a 12th minute lead when Ashqar Ahmed connected with Greg Sloggett's head in the penalty area - and MAGUIRE made no mistake from the penalty spot.

The lead was doubled 17 minutes later when Matty Carson played a short corner to Maguire, who delivered a pinpoint cross for GRIMES to bullet home his first goal in United colours.

The Pilgrims were in dreamland seven minutes before the break when Oisin Gallagher dispossessed Chibby Nwoko to thread a brilliant throughball into the path of CURSONS to run on and finish neatly past an exposed Harry Isted.

Isted had already made two brilliant saves to deny Sloggett - as United threatened to put the game completely out of reach before half-time.

The hosts responded with three half-time changes - with Jayden Clarke following seven minutes into the half - as they threw caution to the wind.

Christian Doidge had planted a firm header over the bar in the first half - but Rovers did not threaten meaningfully again until BUNKER bundled home a 71st minute corner to give his side hope.

They scored again when KNOWLES drove the ball home with five minutes of stoppage time to play - but United put their bodies on the line to survive a frenzied spell of additional time.

Forest Green (3-5-2): Harry Isted; Laurent Mendy, Gabe Kircough (Elijah Morrison 46), Abraham Kanu (Harvey Bunker 31); Kyle McAllister, Ashqar Ahmed (Tom Knowles 46), Tate Campbell (Jayden Clarke 52), Chibby Nwoko, Jili Buyabu; Christian Doidge (Nick Haughton 46), Ricardo Rees. Subs (not used): Neil Kengni, Fiachra Pagel (gk).

Boston (4-3-2-1): Rhys Lovett; Connor Teale, Jake Rooney, Jamie Grimes, Matty Carson (Alex Lankshear 90); Oisin Gallagher, Jordan Richards, Greg Sloggett; Jordy Hiwula (Liam McCarron 72), Frankie Maguire (Marcel Lavinier 90); Tom Cursons (Kieren Donnelly 77). Subs (not used): Ben Grist, Arjan Raikhy, Ken Aboh.

Referee: Harrison Blair.

Attendance: 1,259 (117 visitors).

PIC: Chris Bray.