The Pilgrims controlled the encounter throughout but were reliant on a goalkeeping gaffe from Ashley Franklin to allow Sanders to open the scoring on 40 minutes.

Tricks added a well-taken second goal seven minutes after the break while defender Sturman looped home a header in stoppage time to cap an impressive showing from Steve Welsh’s young charges.

The comprehensive victory booked a trip to Mickleover Sports in the first qualifying round.

Welsh had opted to pair Sturman with striker Jordan Nuttell at centre-half and they were flanked by Niall Delahoy on the right and Charlie Rossington on the left. The defensive unit played in front of goalkeeper Marc Hipwell.

James Reed, Elliott Price, Jake Beauchamp and Stuart Whitaker made up the midfield foursome, while Sanders and Tricks formed Boston’s strikeforce for the night.

The Pilgrims’ bench comprised defenders Sam Towell, Scott Langan and Todd Devlin, midfielder Alex Marr and winger Jake Platten.

Boston came up against a number of familiar faces who had represented the Pilgrims at Centre of Excellence level and one of those players — Jake Park — came close to giving the Whites a third minute lead after springing the offside trap.

The Pilgrims were soon cranking up the pressure on the Lincoln goal and Tricks saw an effort deflected over, following Reed’s flick-on.

Keeper Franklin was called upon to keep out Sanders’ header following a Whitaker free-kick, while Beauchamp soon drilled off target from 25 yards.

Sanders had a header nodded off the line by Lee Burns, while Whitaker’s mazy run culminated in a shot across goal which was not far wide.

The Pilgrims took the lead five minutes before half-time when SANDERS cut infield from the left before unleashing a firm drive which squirmed through the grasp of Franklin at his near post.

The sides traded chances at the beginning of the second half, with Tricks skewing an effort off target following Rossington’s headed assist, while Hipwell had to turn the ball over the bar following Jack Nash’s speculative cross-shot.

Franklin flew across his goal to keep out a long-range Price drive, but the Lincoln stopper was powerless to stop United adding their second goal seven minutes after the interval.

TRICKS was afforded all the time in the world to steady himself after beating the offside trap and he rammed the ball past an exposed Franklin to double Boston’s lead.

Tricks was denied a second goal moments later, with his close-range effort clipping the base of Franklin’s right-hand post following Whitaker’s classy cutback.

Price was instrumental at the heart of the United midfield and he drilled over from distance before slicing the ball wide when it seemed easier to score.

Welsh made all three substitutions inside a nine-minute spell, with Platten producing a lively cameo on the left in place of a clearly tiring Whitaker, while Towell made his return from the United wilderness alongside debutant Devlin at the back.

Lincoln came close to cutting the deficit when Park whizzed in a probing right-wing cross which was just lacking a finishing touch.

Boston responded with Reed whipping in a delightful ball from the right, only for Tricks to get his angles completely wrong and fire well wide with the net gaping.

Nuttell — in a more familiar forward role for the closing stages — was denied by keeper Franklin, while Alex Tittcomb made a terrific goalline block to keep out Price’s stinging effort.

Boston added their third goal in stoppage time with STURMAN producing an excellent headed finish following Beauchamp’s pinpoint free-kick delivery.

There was still time for keeper Franklin to excel by tipping over Tricks’ header, but the Pilgrims were home and dry ahead of a trip to Derbyshire in the next round.

Boston (4-4-2): Marc Hipwell; Niall Delahoy, Lewis Sturman, Jordan Nuttell, Charlie Rossington (Todd Devlin 73); James Reed, Elliott Price, Jake Beauchamp, Stuart Whitaker (Jake Platten 64); Charley Sanders (Sam Towell 73), James Tricks. Subs (not used): Alex Marr, Scott Langan.

Lincoln (4-4-2): Ashley Franklin; Matthew Mitchell, Alex Tittcomb, Jonathan Wiles, Jake Mitchinson (Callum Wheeler 46); Jack Nash, Robert Franklin (Harry Ginniff 69), Macauley Stevens (Ryan Westerman 46), Lee Burns; Zak Oxby, Jake Park. Subs (not used): Charlie Jones, Michael Cooke (gk).