Stalybridge Celtic 3-3 Boston United

United, under the caretaker guidance of Martyn Bunce for the first time, took the lead through Taylor Miles in the fourth minute but were behind four minutes after the break courtesy of goals from Daniel Cockerline and Daniel Wilkins.

Cockerline struck again after Gregg Smith's leveller, before Nat Brown fired home another equaliser with four minutes to play.

The result was arguably fair on the balance of play, with both defences struggling to contain the respective attacks on show at Bower Fold.

Bunce handed debuts to on-loan York City duo Ben Clappison and Josh Robinson, while Michael Emery made his first league appearance for the Pilgrims.

Clappison played a key role in the game’s opening goal, delivering a teasing ball from the right which was powered home by MILES midway inside the penalty area.

Celtic gradually asserted themselves and came close to levelling when Adam Morning fizzed a cross-shot across goal and narrowly wide.

The home side did equalise on 28 minutes when debutant COCKERLINE seized upon some haphazard United defending and crashed an effort beyond the grasp of Emery.

Cockerline was denied a quickfire second by Emery, before United created a flurry of chances before the break, with Grant Shenton thwarting Miles and then Smith and Jay Rollins going close with efforts narrowly off target.

Celtic edged ahead in the 49th minute when Liam Dickinson nodded down Kristian Platt’s deep free-kick and WILKINS applied the finishing touch amid a busy penalty area.

United levelled seven minutes later when Joe Maguire’s piledriver was parried by Shenton and SMITH tucked home the rebound from close-range.

Smith subsequently headed wide following Miles’ deep cross from the right but Celtic were back in front on 59 minutes when Aidan Chippendale’s sheer persistence teed up COCKERLINE to head home his second goal of the game.

A frenetic finale saw Rollins fire into the side-netting before Emery produced a fine save to deny a clean through Chippendale, laying the platform for BROWN to sweep the ball home four minutes from time after Smith had been denied following Miles’ corner.

Stalybridge (4-4-2): Grant Shenton; Danny Morton, Liam Dickinson, Matty Hughes, Danny Hall; Aidan Chippendale, Gary Gee, Kristian Platt, Adam Morning (Callum Bagshaw 59); Daniel Cockerline (Billy Hasler-Cregg 74), Daniel Wilkins (Andy Owens 80). Subs (not used): Kieran Dunbar, Darren McKnight.

Boston (4-3-3): Michael Emery; Ben Clappison, Josh Robinson, Nat Brown, Ben Gordon; Taylor Miles, Joe Maguire (Jason St Juste 79), Callum Chippendale (Lewis Hilliard 60); Marcus Marshall (Joe Pugh 60), Gregg Smith, Jay Rollins. Subs (not used): Courtney Wildin, Joe Robinson.

Referee: Billy Khatib.

Attendance: 414.