NUNEATON BOROUGH 1 BOSTON UNITED 5: Pilgrims thrash Borough to keep play-off hopes alive

Nicky Walker scored twice and Gavin Allott was also on the scoresheet as the duo traded blows in their battle to finish the season as the club’s leading scorer.

Come the final whistle, Walker leads with 10 and Allott is second on eight.

Ben Davies could have notched his fifth of the season from the penalty spot but he was denied by Cameron Belford, Nicky Wroe heading home the loose ball to open his United account instead.

And there was also time for Jay Rollins, who had chipped in with two assists, to make it five.

But the most important thing at Liberty Way was the three points, the National League North table looking all the more exciting for Boston, while Borough - who scored a late consolation via Ryan Edmunds’s penalty - remain adrift at the bottom.

As the action drew to a close the Pilgrims were sat in the top seven, but Altrincham’s late winner meant they regained the advantage, leaving Boston a point off the play-off spots.

Allott opened the scoring in the 15th minute, levelling Walker as the club’s leading scorer with his eighth of the season.

Setting Jay Rollins free down the left-hand side he made his way into the box to finish off the move he started from close range.

Walker doubled the Pilgrims’s lead seven minutes before the break, regaining top spot in the scoring charts as Rollins proved provider again.

This time it was down the right, darting down the flank from inside his own half, to tee up Walker, who slammed home at the back post.

Two minutes after the re-start and Walker was at it again, putting the Pilgrims 3-0 up with a glorious 30-yard free kick.

Walker wasn’t offered the chance to complete his hat-trick from the spot when Max Wright was felled by Rhys Sharpe.

Instead Davies placed the ball, but saw his effort saved before Wroe converted the follow-up.

Twelve minutes later and Rollins got the goal his performance deserved, beating belford with an angled strike.

Nuneaton grabbed a consolation with 11 minutes to go, Edmunds firing home from the spot after Ashley Jackson had fouled Josh Lundstram.

United didn’t have things all their their own way in the first half, George Willis forced into saves to deny Edmunds and holding onto Taylor Allen’s daring long-range volley.

But as the Pilgrims goals kept on coming, Borough’s goal threat retreated more and more, even if they managed to net when already trailing 5-0.

United could have added to their tally, but Wright’s effort was gathered by Belford and Wroe, Allott and Rollins couldn’t find the target when given a sight of goal, with Walker and Allott also seeing efforts cleared off the line.

NUNEATON: C. Belford, Obeng, Sharpe, Calveley, Addison, Baxendale, Birch, Prior (Lavelle-Moore 56), Edmunds, Lundstram, Allen; Subs: Morrison, T. Belford.

UNITED: Willis, Davies, Jackson, Thanoj, Harris, Qualter, Wright, Wroe, Allott (Slew 81), Rollins (Johnson 75), Walker; Subs (not used): Abbott, Wafula, Parkin.

REF: Michael Barlow.