Boston United kick off season with defeat as McLean nets late winner for Spennymoor Town

Boston United' s National League North season began with defeat - as Spennymoor maintained their 100 per cent record in the town.

Danny Elliott's 85th-minute penalty looked to have salvaged a point for United as he cancelled out Glen Taylor's opener, but just three minutes later Scott McLean made the mnost of a gap in the Pilgrims' defence to secure three points.

That man Taylor slotted home a second-half penalty, his fifth goal in six meetings between the two as Moors made it three straight wins in Boston.

United - still searching for their first-ever win against Town - failed to create golden opportunities over 90 minutes, while at the other end Peter Crook was called upon to make a series of saves to thwart Taylor, who has scored four of the six goals his side have scored here in three meetings since 2017.

The four best chances of the first half fell to Taylor, who Pilgrims boss Craig Elliott described as 'probably the best striker in the league' in the build up to the contest.

A rising 25-yard free kick flew narrowly wide before a low strike was well parried by Crook.

Crook got a vital fingertip to Taylor's third effort, helping the close-range effort onto the crossbar after James Curtis' sliced effort landed at his teammate's feet.

Chance number four was well worked by Taylor, but the finish drilled into the chest of Boston number one.

The hosts, backed by the vast majority of a a vociferous crowd of more than 1,800, were slow to get going in attack but ended the opening 45 with a flourish.

Jordan Burrow's looping header landed on the roof of the net and some tricky feet from Fraser Preston ended with a 25-yard drive being forced away by Dale Eve.

Taylor finally made the breakthrough in the 61st minute from the penalty spot.

As high looping up in the United penalty area was allowed to drop and as ex-Pilgrim Brad Abbott nicked in a lazy hack from Keenan Ferguson left referee Matthew Scholes with no choice but to point to the spot.

Taylor went low to Crook's right and, despite the Pilgrims stopper guessing correctly, the pace of the strike was enough to open the scoring.

Joe Tait had a chance to double the lead, the defender unable to connect properly with a volley at the back post.

Elliott forced two hopeful headers over the visitors' bar before netting the leveller in the 85th minute, coolly slotting home after Ferguson was tripped in the box.

But that was for nothing as Moors restored their lead three minutes later.

Ferguson lost possession high up the pitch and, as Spennymoor broke, McLean exploited the space vacated by the right back, beating the offside trap to slot beyond the exposed Crook.

PILGRIMS: Crook, Tootle, Platt, Garner, Shiels, Thanoj (Green 67), Burrow (J. Preston 67), Ferguson, Elliott, F. Preston (Wright jnr 77), Leesley; Subs (not used): Dimaio, Hawkridge.

SPENNYMOOR: Eve, Lufudu, Chandler, Tait, Curtis, Moke, Taylor, Ramshaw, Abbot, Magnay (Hall HT), McLean; Subs (noty used): Thompson, Anderson, Flatters, Mulhern.

REF: Matthew Scholes.

ATT: 1,852 (104).