REPORT | BOSTON UNITED 2-0 WEALDSTONE

Wealdstone suffer a damaging defeat in the race for National League survival away at Boston United.

Frankie Maguire opened the scoring with a clever chipped finish, just two minutes in.

An inch perfect free-kick from Maguire doubled the hosts advantage after 17 minutes.

Neil Gibson made just one change to the side that drew 1-1 with rivals Barnet last Saturday with Micah Obiero coming in for the injured Tyler Walker.

A horror start to the game saw the Stones behind from the off. Fine skill from Hazel saw Maguire with just Baptiste to beat, providing a dinked finish past the Stones keeper to find the back of the net.

A fast start from the hosts saw them pile the pressure onto the Stones back line early on. A foul on the edge of the box, in the 17th minute, saw Maguire with a chance to score his second of the game, which he expertly curled into the top corner.

Boston held strong throughout the half, clearing a number of Stones crosses into the box and limiting Gibson’s side to little chances.

The best chance of the half fell one minute before the break when the ball fell kindly to Kallum Cesay inside the area, who fired the wrong side of the crossbar and out.

Breaking out of the blocks quickly, the Stones looked to pull one back early in the second half. Dom Hutchinson came close to scoring with a fierce effort, forcing a last ditch block out of a Boston defender.

Substitute Mustpaha Carayol was next to try his luck, firing from out side the area, forcing a diving save out of Cameron Gregory, 47 minutes in.

Just two minutes later, the hosts came close to sealing the deal. Hazel’s effort deflected straight into the path of James Gale, who could only fire into Baptiste’s arms.

Whilst Wealdstone started to keep the ball around the Boston area, the hosts held strong, knowing they could create chances on the break.

Baptiste kept the Stones within two goals until the very end. A superb double save in the 83rd minute kept out Cameron Green and Hazel.

Harrison Sohna forced a reflex save out of Gregory from range with just a minute to go before another top double save from Baptiste kept out Keaton Ward and Hazel once more.

With the gap to the drop now just two points, the stakes in Monday’s game against Maidenhead United get even higher.

WEALDSTONE XI: Baptiste (GK), Boldewijn, Woodman (Grant 70’), Mariappa, Hutchinson (McAvoy 78’), Cesay, Dyer, Randall, Kretzschmar (Sohna 70’), Obiero (Carayol 43’), Reid.

Unused subs: Gunter, Omole, Scott,

Attendance: 3865 (257 Stones fans)