Promotion chasing Mansfield kept their play off hopes alive with a hard fought victory at the expense of in form Boston.
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The Stags netted twice early in the second half to lay the platform for their victory and then, despite seeing their advantage halved, managed to resist a strong Boston fightback.
Boston enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, notably with David Noble showing plenty of creativity in midfield and they went close to breaking through on seven minutes when a Kevan Hurst snap shot was saved low down by Kevin Pilkington.
Mansfield answered with a tame off target drive by Tom Curtis, but Boston hit back first with a blocked effort from Noble and then on 16 minutes when a Thomas Bennett 20 yarder had Pilkington at full stretch to save.
Mansfield's defence was in all kinds of a tangle in the 26th minute under more Boston pressure.
Rhys Day and Pilkington were in a mix up. Hurst cashed in, but was denied by a goalline clearance from Alex-John Baptiste.
The Stags hit back and from a partially cleared free-kick Colin Larkin saw a shot held by Paul Bastock.
It wasn't until the 45th minute that the match sprang to life again, this time with Larkin accepting a pass from Bobby Hassell before testing home keeper Bastock with a long-range drive.
Mansfield made a better start to the second half and in the 49th minute Neil Mackenzie saw two shots blocked by a wall of Boston bodies.
But 60 seconds later the visitors went ahead when Mackenzie threaded a free kick through for Larkin to cut inside and fire past Bastock from an acute angle.
United hit back with a free kick opportunity of their own. But from 25 yards Noble fired yards too high.
In the 59th minute the visitors doubled their lead. A sweeping move saw Larkin fire in a shot which was parried by Bastock and in the follow up melee, Liam Lawrence and home defender Paul Ellender battled for possession with the latter getting the final touch past his own keeper.
But Boston hit back in the 69th minute when Lee Beevers surged down the left and laid the ball inside for Stuart Balmer to deliver an exquisite curling 25 yard finish.
Boston came close to an equaliser in the 76th minute when substitute Dean Cropper and Lee Thompson linked well with the latter bringing a good save from Pilkington with a fierce 30 yard volley.
Boston threw men forward in search of an equaliser and after a goalmouth scramble in the 84th minute, Danny Thomas fired a shot against the bar.
Mansfield boss Keith Curle said: "This was a crucial win for us. And although other teams near us also won we have kept ourselves right in there. And I firmly believe we can still claim that third promotion place."Boston manager Steve Evans said: "It was a disappointing result. And I felt we conceded two bad goals with individual errors costing us dear. I thought we controlled the first half and finished the game strongly, but at that point we were having to chase a two goal deficit."
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