Craig Elliott's side suffered a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Alfreton Town after trailing by two goals within 21 minutes courtesy of Conor Branson and Bobby Johnson.

Preston cut the deficit after the break but Bailey Hobson's quickfire riposte rendered Elliott's stoppage time penalty nothing more than a consolation.

Ex-Pilgrims' keeper George Willis had made a sharp save to keep out Jordan Preston's ninth minute free-kick by the time Billy Heath's visitors edged ahead after 14 minutes.

Matt Rhead nonchalantly backheeled BRANSON into the clear and he finished neatly at Marcus Dewhurst's near post.

JOHNSON doubled the lead seven minutes later with a 25-yard effort which deflected past a stranded Dewhurst.

Dewhurst kept United in the contest with a smart stop to deny Rhead's downward header as the match ticked towards half-time.

United were on the front foot after the break, with Elliott turning an effort against the crossbar and although Dewhurst was required to deny Rhead on the counter-attack, Boston cranked up the pressure.

Willis made a flying save to deny Keenan Ferguson while Elliott crashed two efforts off target - but Boston were back in the contest after 64 minutes when Jordan PRESTON sailed home a beauty from 20 yards, high to Willis' right.

Dewhurst thwarted Rhead, Hobson and Yusifu Ceesay before Alfreton did add their third goal - with Ceesay crossing for HOBSON to power home a close-range header.

Alfreton managed the game perfectly until Willis upended substitute Joe Leesley deep into stoppage time - and ELLIOTT crashed home his 16th goal of the campaign.

Boston (3-5-2): Marcus Dewhurst; Kyron Gordon, Luke Shiels, Matt Tootle (Joe Leesley 67); Keenan Ferguson, Shane Byrne (Milan Lalkovic 84), Tom Platt, Paul Green (Fraser Preston 75), Jake Leake; Jordan Preston, Danny Elliott. Subs (not used): Scott Duxbury, Connor Dimaio.

Alfreton (4-2-3-1): George Willis; Adam Lund, Ritchie Sutton (Dwayne Wiley 38), Dominic Smith, Danny Preston; Conor Branson, Bobby Johnson (Rob Evans 67); Dayle Southwell, Bailey Hobson, Yusifu Ceesay; Matt Rhead. Subs (not used): Harvey Grice, Milan Butterfield, Alfie Smith-Eccles (gk).

Referee: James Westgate.

Attendance: 2,052 (106 visitors).

PIC: Russell Dossett.