Two goals from in-form striker Steve Basham were enough to see United beat Boston at the KasStad this afternoon in a game that resembled a mid-table, end-of-season, Division Four fixture, which is exactly what it was. In the 20th minute Basham was set free by Tommy Mooney, but shot over when well placed. Ten minutes before half-time a misunderstanding between Bash and Chris Hackett let in David Noble, whose shot struck the post. This woke up United who took the lead five minutes later. A Hackett corner evaded everyone except Basham, who was lurking at the far post to head home from close range. United started the second period well, with Lucas Cominelli forcing former United triallist Nathan Abbey into a save with a long-range shot, followed by an excellent burst from Hackett which led to him shooting narrowly wide. Just after the hour mark Basham doubled the lead with his first brace of the season, as Mooney set him free for a blistering shot past Abbey. United continued to look the better team, but in the last ten minutes they lost the impetus due to a series of substitutions. This led to some Boston pressure, but a couple of fantastic saves by Chris Tardif, plus some resolute defending, earned the lads their first home clean sheet since Ramon Diaz came along.

Horacio Rodriguez made a couple of changes from the side that won at Mansfield last weekend. Mateo Corbo was injured, so Matt Robinson dropped to the left-back position, with Lee Bradbury swapping wings from right to left. Hackett moved back to the right wing position allowing Tommy Mooney to reclaim his place up front alongside Basham. Immediately after United went 2-0 up Mooney went off to be replaced by Juan Pablo Raponi, who went to the left-wing spot, with Bradbury going back to the right wing and Hackett moving up front alongside Basham. With 13 minutes to go Hackett himself was replaced by Craig Davies, playing his last game before his Wales Under-21 call-up over the Easter period. With ten minutes left Basham was replaced, to a standing ovation, by Emiliano Diaz, who joined Davies up front.

The referee today was the somewhat whistle-happy Eddie Evans, who reffed United’s 2-1 home win over Kidderminster last season. He booked Cominelli and Barry Quinn. The attendance, swelled by a kids-a-quid initiative, was 5,176. We hope to produce a match report tomorrow. Or maybe Monday. Or Tuesday, at a push.

The win lifts United one place, up to 15th, the bottom of a clutch of five clubs, including Boston, on 50 points, nine points adrift of the play-offs. The team United leap-frogged was Mansfield, who drew 4-4 at Bristol Rovers, for whom Richard Walker scored a penalty. At the top of the table, leaders Yeovil were surprisingly beaten at home, 1-0 by Bury, while second-placed Scunthorpe, whom United visit on Friday, were held to a 0-0 draw at Rochdale. Macclesfield stayed third with a 3-1 win over Orient, for whom Lee Steele scored. Fourth-placed Southend won 3-0 at Cheltenham, while Swansea in fifth drew 2-2 at 8th-placed Northampton.

Darlington are sixth after winning 1-0 at Grimsby, and Lincoln occupy the final play-off spot following their 2-0 win over fifth-bottom Shrewsbury. At the other end Cambridge stay bottom despite beating Wycombe 2-1. They are now two points behind Kidderminster, who were held to a 0-0 draw at home to third-bottom Rushden. Chester remain 4th from bottom following their 3-2 win over Notts County.