Boro in touching distance of promotion after win at Colwyn Bay

With promotion from the Evo-Stik North in touching distance, Boro dug in to produce an excellent second-half display and a vital victory.

Steve Kittrick made one change for the lengthy trip, with pacy wideman Jorome Slew coming in, Nathan Valentine switching to right full-back.

Bay soon took advantage of Valentine being moved out of his unaccustomed position and they had immediate joy.

Astley Mulholland sliced cleverly down the right and picked out Lassana Mendes, who rolled home from the edge of the box.

Boro tried to make an immediate response, but Max Wright's shot was blocked, James Walshaw headed wide and Slew lifted just over the bar with a lobbed effort.

With the action beginning to die down, the tension began to spill over, with a number of rash tackles, the lesser of these from Valentine leading to a bout of pushing and shoving in the centre circle.

It was Boro who had the better of the latter stages of the first 45 minutes, but the final, killer ball was always lacking.

Slew delivered a smart, low ball into the box, but it somehow evaded every Boro boot.

Then from the other side, Wright whipped an equally useful cross, but again Boro failed to capitalise.

After the half-time chat, Boro had more spark when the second period began.

A quick move led to Slew having his shot blocked. Then from the resulting corner, Valentine nodded just over the Bay bar.

Slew again got in on the hour, his pace guiding him past three players, but his finish didn't match as the ball sailed past the post.

Having dominated much of the second half, Boro thought they had earned an equaliser when Max Wright was tripped in the Bay box.

But having sent keeper Matt Cooper the wrong way, Coulson's penalty struck the foot of the post and bounced away.

Boro didn't let that disappointment dwell in their thoughts though, and from a long Tommy Taylor clearance, Wright rose to flick a header over the keeper and into the net.

Steve Kittrick's men weren't done there.

Coulson scampered onto a through-ball, but he looked to have wasted the chance when too the ball too far past the keeper.

He showed superb vision to cut the ball back to Luke Dean, his shot was saved, but Slew nipped in to poke Boro in front.

Boro looked to edge their way through the final few minutes, but they were almost pegged back.

Sub Jamie Rainford burst clear of the visiting back-line, but he managed to lift the ball just over with only the keeper Taylor to beat.

The cause was made even harder for Boro in injury-time when Dean was given a straight red for a nothing challenge, but they managed to hold firm for a very, very tough three points.