ROB SCOTT hailed an "outstanding" first-half display from his Boston United side as they opened their account in the Blue Square Bet North with a 1-0 victory over Stafford Rangers at York Street on Saturday.

Anthony Church's goal, scored around the half-hour mark, gave the Pilgrims an excellent start to the new season following promotion last term.

Boston should have taken the three points more comfortably, having failed to convert several chances in the second half, which left some hard-to-please fans unsatisfied.

However, joint manager Scott said his side deserved the victory.

"What you set out to achieve following pre-season is to start the season well and we have done that," he said.

"I thought in the first half we were outstanding and totally outplayed them.

"In the second half we created our own problems by dropping very deep.

"But the people watching have got to realise that we cannot monopolise a game for 90 minutes. It doesn't happen at any level of football.

"There's always a period of the game when you are going to come under the cosh.

"Yes they were times on Saturday when we came under the cosh but they had nothing to lose so they threw it up front and tried to battle for it. But I thought we defended very well and were well worth the three points."

Boston included keeper James McKeown in their side, with the highly-rated stopper having joined on loan from Peterborough after a deal fell through for Chris Adamson.

The home side dominated for much of the first half and went close in the 23rd minute when, after good interplay with Church, Semple hit a shot from just inside the box narrowly wide.

The Pilgrims took a deserved lead in the 31st minute.

Jamie Yates' corner was cleared back to him and he put the ball back into the box where Church sent a looping header into the left corner.

Stafford should have gone into the break on level terms, when in the 41st minute Kelvin Mellor's neat touch played Ben Mills through on goal. But the striker's weak shot was easily saved by McKeown.

Boston began the second half brightly and Semple's volley from the edge of the box was tipped over by Lee Evans.

And Boston followed that up with a series of excellent chances.

In the 50th minute Yates put Church through, but Mark Dudley managed to get back and deflect his shot out for a corner.

Yates' corner fell to Lee Canoville at the back post, but his shot was blocked on the line by a defender.

Then a minute later, a foul on Spencer Weir-Daley gave Boston a free-kick in a dangerous position. Yates delivered the ball to the back post where the former Lincoln striker floated it back into the box and Kieran Murphy's header was blocked by keeper Evans.

The Pilgrims when close to doubling the lead again in the 70th minute. Marc Newsham, slid in at the back post to meet Semple's low cross, but his effort was gathered by the keeper with the players claiming it had crossed the line.

Then with a couple of minutes left, substitute Miles Hunter went close to scoring with his first touch. After a flick-on by fellow sub Danny Davidson, Hunter hit a half-volley which cannoned off the post.

A failure to find the net for the second time meant the Pilgrims had to spend the last couple of minute trying to hold the ball in their opponents' corner, which annoyed a section of the home fans.

However, Scott praised his player for ensuring the held on for the three points.

"People moaned about us keeping the ball out in the corner at the end, but I don't understand it," he said.

"The players have tried really hard to win a game of football.

"If, with a minute to go, they are keeping the ball in the corner I call that professionalism and good tactical nous.

"If you try to send it into the box when they've got five defenders in there, then they break and score an equaliser I think those fans would be saying 'why didn't you keep it in the corner'.

"We limited them to one chance in the game. If you can limit a team to just one clear-cut chance in a game you will do alright.

"If you count up our chances, there were five or six. Miles came on and hit the post, Kieran had one cleared off the line, Marc Newsham had one cleared off the line.

"There's plenty to work on, but there's plenty to be happy about."

Boston have little time to enjoy their opening day win, as they travel to Hinckley United tonight for their first away game of the season (7.45pm).

"The games are coming thick and fast, but I'm 100 per cent certain we'd rather go there having won rather than going there on the back of a draw or a defeat," said Scott.

"We'll go there bouyant and we'll look to repeat performance of the first half on Saturday."