Boston Utd 0-1 Hartlepool: FT Report
Hartlepool cemented their position at the top of the Third Division table with a 1-0 victory which ended Boston's mini-run of four matches unbeaten.
The winner arrived after 70 minutes when midfielder Darrell Clarke evaded the offside trap and fired past Boston goalkeeper Paul Bastock following a lofted pass by Mark Robinson to net only his second goal of the campaign.
It was an otherwise evenly-matched tussle with both sides battling well on a snow-covered surface.
Boston's brightest moment in the first half came from free-kicks by Neil Redfearn and Richard Logan which Anthony Williams saved well.
The visitors should have broken the deadlock before the break but Eifion Williams shot wide of an open goal.
Boston rallied strongly after falling behind and almost equalised in a pulsating finish.
Logan and Tom Bennett both saw shots cleared off the line as Hartlepool clung on for their third straight victory which extends their lead over second-placed Rushden to five points.