A depleted Boston Town side stayed top of the table by beating in-form Ashby Ivanhoe.
With Layton Maddison, Macca Burdass, Ted Gibbons and Pierce Hudson all missing, new signing Jake Henderson made his debut in midfield after joining from Newark & Sherwood.
Henderson was previously part of the Boston United academy and also played for Sleaford Town and Pinchbeck United.
The first chance for the hosts came as Jordan Tate’s header from a Leo Priestley corner was saved low by the visiting keeper Jay Rabone.
Chris Funnell’s injury-hit side took the lead after eight minutes when some nice work from Fraser Bayliss on the right took him into the box. Good skill by Matt Cotton laid it off to Priestley and he fired home from the edge of the area for his first goal for the club.
The Poachers had other good chances, with Jack Gurney heading well wide from a Zak Munton cross and Bayliss trying to chip the keeper from 25 yards out after being set free by Kallum Smith.
But Ashby started to grow into the game and equalised after 33 minutes through a low shot by Matt Moffatt into Travis Portas’s bottom right corner.
On the stroke of half-time, the hosts restored their lead. Priestley took a corner from the left and Richard Ford swung his boot at it from 12 yards to claim his fourth goal of the season.
Harry Limb came on for Henderson early in the second half, with Bayliss dropping to right back and Tate moving into central midfield.
When Zak Munton made it 3-1 after 68 minutes, it felt the game was safe. Ford’s throw on the left was well worked by Cotton and Munton got his head onto Luke Wilson’s shot from 20 yards.
But Town’s injury woes continued as Gurney went down injured and was replaced by Jordan Nuttell.
A mix-up at the back allowed Taylor Wyse to make it 3-2 after 75 minutes, signalling a nervy last quarter of an hout for the home side.
A wayward pass by Smith gave the lively Rumai Johnson the chance of a shot from distance, which was parried awkwardly by Portas.
The Poachers hung on for the win, which keeps them two points ahead of second-placed Sherwood Colliery at the top of the United Counties League Premier North.
Funnell said afterwards his squad was down to the ‘bare bones’, with Lori Borbely coming out of retirement at the age of 44 to take his place on the subs’ bench. The manager said he was really pleased with the three points but felt it had been a poor performance by his side.
Luke Wilson was named man of the match by the Last of the Summer Wine branch of the Boston Town supporters’ group.
Next Saturday (31 January) Boston Town have a huge top-of-the-table clash with Sherwood Colliery. Kick-off at Debdale Park will be 3pm and Boston Town Supporters’ Group will be running a coach to the game.
Town: Portas, Tate, Smith, Henderson (Limb), Ford, Wilson, Bayliss, Priestley, Gurney (Nuttell), Munton, Cotton; unused sub: Borbely
Words: Jez Ashberry
