Frankie Maguire’s brilliant early double accounted for Wealdstone on a record-breaking day at the Jakemans Community Stadium on Good Friday.
Maguire opened the scoring in the second minute, doubling the lead with a sublime free-kick a quarter of an hour later, to hand Graham Coughlan’s side a fourth consecutive home win.
The match, which left United five points above the drop zone, was watched by a stadium record crowd of 3,865 – smashing the previous best by over 1,100 spectators.
The Pilgrims got off to the best possible start, with Jacob Hazel flicking on Brad Nicholson’s throw down the line and MAGUIRE jinking inside the challenge of Enzio Boldewijn to beat Dante Baptiste with an angled drive.
Baptiste subsequently tipped Cameron Green’s effort on to the crossbar but United were soon two goals to the good, with MAGUIRE sailing home an inch-perfect free-kick from 25 yards.
Maguire was instrumental in the Pilgrims’ pressing throughout the first half, but succumbed to a tight hamstring in stoppage time, being replaced by James Gale.
Wealdstone were revved up after the break and Zak Mills blocked brilliantly to deny Dom Hutchinson, while Cameron Gregory saved well to deny substitute Mustapha Carayol.
Baptiste pounced on Gale’s low shot, after Hazel had been denied by an Adrian Mariappa block, before Baptiste stood tall to block Hazel’s angled drive with his legs.
Baptiste made a further double save from Green and Hazel, before Mills hit the post and then fired the rebound wide. More Baptiste saves denied Keaton Ward and Hazel at the death, but United had done enough for a huge three points.
Boston (3-4-2-1): Cameron Gregory; Connor Teale, Zak Mills, Brad Nicholson; Jai Rowe, Jordan Richards, Greg Sloggett, Cameron Green; Dylan Hill (Keaton Ward 74), Frankie Maguire (James Gale 45); Jacob Hazel (Olly Green 90). Subs (not used): Adam Marriott, Tony Weston, Jacob Scott, Jake Lovelace (gk).
Wealdstone (3-5-2): Dante Baptiste; Enzio Boldewijn, Deon Woodman (Josh Grant 70), Adrian Mariappa; Dom Hutchinson (Connor McAvoy 78), Kallum Cesay, Alex Dyer, Max Kretzschmar (Harrison Sohna 70), Will Randall; Alex Reid, Micah Obiero (Mustapha Carayol 43). Subs (not used): Christian Scott, Tobi Omole, Luca Gunter (gk).
Referee: Callum Walchester.
Attendance: 3,865 (257 visitors).
PIC: Chris Bray.
