Skegness boss is happy to stop Boston rot

​Boston have become a bogey side for the Lilywhites in recent seasons and are currently in the mix when it comes to chasing a play-off place, while Skegness are 14th in the table thanks to an inconsistent season thus far.

So Rawlinson was happy to take the positives from Saturday’s draw, particularly given they were at a numerical disadvantage for the last half-an-hour thanks to the combination of a sin bin for Gary King and a red card for Bailey Dilley.

He said: “It was a local derby and I think we’ve lost six games in a row to Boston so anything but a defeat is an improvement.

"I genuinely thought it was a good game between two good sides. It was no holds barred and both sides had a couple of good chances, then we had to play with ten men for a bit and also nine men with the sin bin, so to keep them out and still be a threat was a mark of how we’ve come on.

"However, we now need to start winning our home games and capitalise on a decent point and the fact we’re defensively sound at the moment.”

Skegness are next in action on Saturday when they host fourth-from-bottom Deeping Rangers, before a trip to Lincoln United on Boxing Day, who are fourth going into this weekend’s games.

Rawlinson said: “Scoring goals is continuing to be a problem so we need to start capitalising on our good play and possession and make sure we score some goals on Saturday whilst remaining tight at the back.

"Lincoln will then be another derby and it should be a good Boxing Day game as Lincoln are up there fighting for the title and it would be great to go and spoil their party.

"But they’re a good side and it’s away from home, so we’ll come up with a plan to counter their threats and hopefully give them a bit of a surprise.”