Three goals in the first half secured Boston United all three points on Tuesday night with a 3-2 victory at The New Lawn.

They took the lead from the spot when Frankie Maguire converted passed Harry Isted after Greg Sloggett was brought down in the box.

Goals two and three came not long after, with Jamie Grimes’ bullet header from a corner and Tom Cursons being played through and applying the finishing touch.

Rovers did get back into the game in the second half as Harvey Bunker latched onto a ball that broke his way and struck it into the net, and Tom Knowles smashed the ball in added time into the bottom left corner.

FIRST HALF:

Boston won a penalty in the twelfth minute after a lengthy wait from the referee for a high tackle on Sloggett, and Maguire slotted it into the bottom-right corner to give the Lincolnshire side a goal lead.

The away side looked to strengthen their advantage and nearly had the second after Oisin Gallagher laid the ball off to Sloggett, and his effort from range was tipped round the post by Isted.

Opportunities continued to open up for the visiting side, with Isted doing well to deny Connor Teale before the follow-up went wide of the post, and Grimes’ post went close moments later at the back post.

The resulting corner from that chance ended up in the back of the net, with Grimes’ header flashing by Isted in goal for Boston’s second.

Robbie Savage’s side nearly got back in the contest when Jili Buyabu’s delivery met Christian Doidge, but he couldn’t direct his header on target.

Boston made it three-nil five minutes before half-time after Cursons was slipped in behind Harvey Bunker and tapped the ball past Isted.

Rovers needed a breakthrough before the break, and they came close when Ashqar Ahmed’s cross picked out Buyabu, but Rhys Lovett denied him.

HALF-TIME: FOREST GREEN ROVERS 0-3 BOSTON UNITED

In the first 15 minutes of the second half, Rovers failed to create a clear-cut chance despite holding most of the ball.

With twenty minutes left, Bunker got on the scoresheet when the ball fell kindly to him from a corner, and he lashed it into the roof of the net from close range.

The game continued similarly, with the home side having most of the possession but unable to break down a resolute Boston defence.

The best chance went to the visitors, as Cursons ended up one-on-one with Isted, rounded him, and pushed the ball too far ahead of him.

In stoppage time, Knowles pulled another goal back for Savage’s side as his shot from just inside the box nestled into the bottom-left corner.

With a minute to go, Nick Haughton nearly got the equaliser as his header whistled just wide of the post.

FULL-TIME: FOREST GREEN ROVERS 2-3 BOSTON UNITED

Forest Green Rovers: Isted, Mendy, McAllister, Doidge (Knowles, 46), Campbell (Clarke, 52), Buyabu, Kircough (Haughton, 46), Nwoko, Kanu (Bunker, 31), Rees, Ahmed (Morrison, 46).

Subs not used: Pagel, Kengni.

Boston United: Lovett, Teale, Sloggett, Maguire (Lavinier, 90), Hiwula (McCarron, 72), Cursons (Donnelly, 77), Richardson, Rooney, Grimes, Gallagher, Carson (Lankshear, 90). Subs not used: Grist, Raikhy, Aboh.

Attendance: 1259 (Away:117)