It was as highly-charged as any local 'derby', with a dramatic conclusion which robbed the visitors of a deserved draw.

York Street has rarely been a happy hunting ground for the Bucks, with only one victory ever achieved there, but they made light of that statistic in establishing early supremacy through an effective passing game on the well-grassed surface, and as many as four threatening attacks were mounted in the opening quarter-hour.

Cayne Hanley, making his full debut in place of Gavin Knight, immediately set-up Steve Ridley, and his cross skimmed the head of the leaping Neil Stevens.

Then a Grant Black free kick was played back by Ridley, only for Michael Towey's header to narrowly pass the angle of post and bar.
With Mark Reed and Hanley developing an immediate understanding, the Bucks went closer still in the 12th minute.

The new striker would surely have gained a penalty award had he not recovered from a foul challenge to force keeper Evans into a half-save, and when the ball was returned to the goalmouth both Hanley and Towey were near to a decisive touch.

In the second quarter of the match, Boston livened up and in the 23rd minute Scott Hartley saved with his feet from ex-Rotherham striker Marc Newsham and then made a follow-up punch, but it was an attempted punch by Gareth Davies on Michael Towey which restored the initiative to the visitors.

Referee Bell showed an immediate red card to the former Buxton midfielder.

After the interval, however, third-placed Boston made an impressive restart as they took the game to the Bucks, but frequent stoppages resulted from over-physical play.

United took the lead just before the hour when centre back and captain Shaun Pearson sent a towering header from Cullingworth's corner kick just over Black's head and under the bar.

Soon afterwards, Buxton made a double substitution, but their passing game had been stifled and through balls for the pacy Reed and Hanley brought little reward.

However, the match's closing stages brought drama aplenty.

In the 84th minute, Kieran Lugsden appeared to have earned a penalty kick as he was brought down, but both camps were surprised to see the referee show the substitute a yellow card for an alleged but unlikely dive.

Only a minute later, Buxton did fashion an equaliser as Joe Wilcox converted a Scott Maxfield right-flank corner, and the visitors looked the better bet for a winner until the announcement of added time seemed to galvanise United to produce a frantic finish.

Twice Boston players went to ground unnecessarily to gain undeserved free kicks, and from the second, with tempers frayed, United's other centre back Liam Parker headed the winning goal off the crossbar's underside. The second half was in its 52nd minute