A hard-fought 1-0 victory for Boston United at the Rare Breed Meat Co. Stadium saw them draw level with Braintree Town on points in the National League table. Keaton Ward’s 16th-minute strike proved decisive in a cagey encounter punctuated by moments of attacking intent from both sides.
The deadlock was broken when Ward, finding space inside the Braintree penalty area, calmly slotted the ball past the home goalkeeper. The goal galvanised the visitors, who pressed forward in search of a second. Braintree, however, weathered the initial onslaught and began to create their own opportunities as the first half progressed. The growing intensity of the contest was underlined by a yellow card shown to Jermaine Francis in the 41st minute for a foul.
Seeking a creative spark after the break, Braintree manager Stephen Pitt introduced Alan Judge for Kyreece Lisbie in the 61st minute. The substitution initially paid dividends, with the home side enjoying a period of sustained pressure. However, they found the Boston defence a tough nut to crack, struggling to create clear-cut chances.
With 76 minutes on the clock, Boston manager Graham Coughlan made a triple substitution, seemingly aimed at preserving his side’s slender advantage. Goalscorer Ward made way for Adam Marriott, while James Gale replaced Jimmy Knowles and Tony Weston came on for Jacob Hazel. These changes disrupted Braintree’s rhythm as they searched for an equaliser, effectively stifling their momentum. A final throw of the dice from Braintree saw Chay Cooper replace Marley Marshall-Miranda in the 80th minute, but the home side couldn’t find a way through, and Boston saw out the game to secure all three points.
The victory lifts Boston level on points with Braintree in the standings, with the two sides having occupied 16th and 23rd place respectively before kick-off. Earlier in the season, Boston had suffered a 3-1 home defeat against their opponents, further highlighting the significance of today’s result in the tightly contested bottom half of the table.