PILGRIMS ARE SENT PACKING BY SAINTS

HIGH-FLYING Brackley kept up their promotion push with a fifth win in six visits to Boston.

The Saints pocketed maximum points on the strength of strikes by Andy Brown, Shane Byrne and Adam Williams – the latter netting in his eighth successive match.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing as United came close to a point with a valiant late recovery bid that yielded two goals and a few near misses.

Brackley seized the initiative on ten minutes when Brown unleashed a low 18-yard drive that found the bottom corner.

Five minutes later Williams broke down the left and crossed for Byrne to slot in for 2-0. Boston’s first-half responses came via a handful of corners, giant throw-ins by Sam Muggleton and a shot deflected wide from James Clifton.

But Brackley’s back line was well marshalled by Gareth Dean. The second half was only two minutes old when Williams tapped in after George Willis had parried a shot.

But Boston hit back with a 54th-minute Ashley Hemmings penalty awarded after Dean handled a header from Jordan Keane.

The fightback continued when Jay Rollins fired in on 73 minutes after another Muggleton howitzer but it was not enough. STAR MAN: Gareth Dean (Brackley) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★