Vauxhall Motors 2-2 Boston United

The Pilgrims found themselves two goals behind after only 12 minutes thanks to a pair of Chris Noone back post strikes, but were brought back into contention through Spencer Weir-Daley's 44th minute goal.

United battered on the door during the second period and duly got their reward when Newsham finished with aplomb courtesy of a neat 18-yard volley with a minute to play.

The Pilgrims still had chances to win it, but were happy with a point after facing a mountain to climb inside the opening quarter of an hour.

United had started really well on their fifth competitive visit to Rivacre Park, although their early possession football did not yield any goalscoring chances.

Motors attacked for the first time in the eighth minute and took the lead. Danny Fearnehough delivered an inviting ball from the left and NOONE applied a simple finish, at the back post, from a couple of yards.

Worse was still to follow for the Pilgrims. The usually-reliable Carl Piergianni made a hash of clearing a ball in the corner, allowing Matthew Williams to cross from the left for NOONE to finish with a crashing drive which gave Ashley Timms no chance.

Having trailed 4-0 at half-time on the same ground last season, there were fears United could be facing a similar deficit, particularly when Louis Barnes advanced to crash a drive fractionally wide from 20 yards.

United, however, gradually started to re-assert themselves on proceedings and Scott Garner should have tested keeper Zac Jones with a header from an Ian Ross corner, but his effort flew wide.

The game's defining moment arrived a minute before the break when United produced a crisp move of flowing football. Ross freed Netan Sansara to cross from the left and once the ball had been bundled goalwards by Ben Milnes, WEIR-DALEY applied the finishing touch from close-range.

United were on top after the break, with Newsham setting Weir-Daley clear, but his finish lacked accuracy and failed to trouble Jones as it whizzed over the bar.

Ricky Miller came to life during the second half and tested Jones with a curling drive following a rapid Boston break.

Jones then excelled to keep out a low Weir-Daley drive following Timms' downfield punt.

United were leaving more and more room to be exploited by Motors on the break and Garner was well-positioned to charge a Fearnehough drive behind for a corner.

With Sansara sacrificed and Garner pushed up front, United finally got their leveller with 64 seconds of normal time remaining. A ball into the Vauxhall box was only partially cleared and NEWSHAM crashed home a sweet volley from 18 yards.

With at least five minutes of added time to be played, United sensed victory and Miller's cross-shot drifted out of play before Peter Bore, now operating at left-back, advanced to slam a long-range drive marginally wide of Jones' far post.

Vauxhall Motors (4-1-2-1-2): Zac Jones; Stephen Wainwright, Tom Hannigan, Andy Nicholas, Louis Barnes; Matthews Williams; Chris Noone (Karl Clair 73), Danny Fearnehough; Lloyd Ellams (Ashley Stott 90); Jordan Rugg (Tom Rutter 60), Karl Noon. Subs (not used): Owen Davies, Craig Ellison (gk).

Boston (4-3-3): Ashley Timms; Peter Bore, Scott Garner, Carl Piergianni, Netan Sansara (Stefan Galinski 83); Ian Ross, Conor Marshall, Ben Milnes; Spencer Weir-Daley (Ben Fairclough 64), Marc Newsham, Ricky Miller. Subs (not used): Ngoni Dongo, James Reed, Sam Vince (gk).

Referee: Mark Ackerman

Attendance: 214