Barton 3 Boston 13

A try from teenager Jack Stokes, making his starting debut, sealed this important win to complete back-to-back victories for Boston in Midlands 3 East (North)

Playing in a strong wind throughout and pouring rain for much of the second half, Boston knuckled down to their task and an impressive performance from the forwards provided the platform for success.

Boston could not have got off to a worse start as they elected to start the game with 14 players as the influential James Fitzpatrick had been held up getting to the game.

Barton had tried hard to capitalise on their numerical advantage but Boston defended resolutely and against the run of play took the lead with an intelligently taken penalty by Tom Brooks who struck his kick low and hard.

But Barton struck back with a penalty of their own and the visitors, for whom Fitzpatrick arrived after 15 minutes, were further disrupted when Simon Rasytinis had to come off injured.

He was replaced by Jonny Pain with Michael Mitchell going on the wing.

Pain's injection of pace caused Barton immediate problems but Boston were failing to break the last man and score points.

With the wind at their backs in the second half Boston continued to exert pressure and Barton were in further trouble when a yellow card for foul play reduced them to 14 players.

Accurate kicking into the corners from Brooks pinned Barton back as the visitors continued to dominate the line-out through skipper Dowse and jumper Pedley.

But then Boston suffered another setback when Iain Sampson got the first yellow card of his career for a careless, high tackle.

It was still anyone's game but when Sampson returned to bolster the Boston scrum after serving 10 minutes in the bin, the turning point of the game arrived.

The Boston pack's relentless pressure told when Stokes squeezed round the scrum to force the ball over the whitewash.

Brooks converted with unnerving accuracy and a further penalty at the death put the final result beyond any doubt.

On Saturday Boston entertain Daventry in a cup game (2pm).

Other results

Cleethorpes U11s 28 Boston U11s 21; Cleethorpes 7 Boston 19; Boston U9S 4 Cleethorpes 0; Boston U9s 1 Cleethorpes 1; Cleethorpes U10s 6 Boston 1; Cleethorpes U10s 6 Boston; Stamford U14s 31 Boston 0