Not even an injury time Boro consolation goal could wipe the smiles from the Missioners faces as we took all three points at Cherrywood Road courtesy of first half strikes from Ryan Ashe, Liam Feeney and Michael Bartley.

With Kevin Hill sticking with the starting XI from the Bedford game it was keeper Kevin Davies who was sharp on seven minutes and stopped us from falling behind. Paul Harkness threaded the ball to Michael Charles in the area but Davies closed him down at pace and blocked his shot at close range before the danger was cleared.

Within minutes we were ahead thanks to a first goal of the season from a rejuvenated Ryan Ashe who was the most alert to an off target Liam Feeney volley as he slid in at the far post to beat keeper Kevin Scriven from an acute angle.

The home side came back at us with gusto however, Harkness ended a mazy run with a shot that just failed to hit the target and minutes later Nic Ciardini set up Russell Pym with his shot being grabbed by a diving Davies just as Charles arrived at the far post.

Just five minutes after taking the lead it was doubled in style, Gilbert Nuako won the ball at the back and found Will Hendry in the middle of the park, Hendry in turn played a defence splitting ball to Feeney who beat the offside trap before flighting a sublime lob over the advancing Scriven and turning to celebrate as the ball dropped just under the bar.

Michael Bartley was proving a menace in the Boro area and twice went close, a shot on the turn from a Daniel Dyer free kick was narrowly wide before an audacious effort from on the bye-line saw Scriven leave the ball only for it to go wide off the outside of the upright.

The next goal however should have gone the way of the home side on 24 minutes, a Charles cross from the left wing found centre-back Jamie Whisken totally unmarked six yards from goal but much to everyone's dismay he headed a good four feet over the crossbar.

Having benefited from the let off at the back, the Missioners continued to press forwards in search of a third, Ashe set up Feeney but this time he was wide, this was closely followed by a Dyer centre that Bartley met but could not keep down. Eight minutes from the break the third did indeed arrive, much to the relief of Michael Bartley who finally ended his goal drought. Ashe was the instigator, playing the ball ahead of Michael who shrugged off a defender on each shoulder before planting a shot just inside Scriven's post and then planting himself amongst the travelling faithful.

With a three goal deficit, it was not surprising that the home side were to have the lions share of the second half chances, we did however not concede until the second minute of stoppage time and by then nerves were never going to play a part, except on the terraces maybe !

Whisken had the first chance of the half for the Boro but his shot flew across the face of goal and wide, this was closely followed by a 25 yard effort from Ciardini but again was well off target. With just over an hour played the home side made life even harder for themselves when Sean Harkin appeared to be shown a straight red card out of nowhere for foul and abusive language.

Minutes after being reduced to ten men Davies had to be sharp to keep out a Steve Laidler free-kick that beat the wall and was heading for the bottom corner of the net, at the other end a Dyer - Ashe combo found Feeney but this time his effort didn't trouble Scriven.

As the game entered it's final fifteen minutes we could twice have increased the lead, Stafforde Palmer did well to get a shot away despite being held but was off target and Ashe superbly chested the ball down before turning and shooting inches wide of the Boro goal.

The dying moments saw Davies save well at the feet of an incoming Harkness before he was finally beaten in stoppage time when substitute Bradley Garness was given space on the right and he fired across the keeper into the far corner of the net.

Report by Kevin Watts.