Scarborough have gone eight games without a win following their 2-2 draw at Boston United in the Nationwide Conference on Saturday.

They continue to produce performances which can exasperate and excite equally in the same match.

The first half belonged almost totally to the home side. Andy Turner, making his debut on loan from Rotherham, had too much freedom on the left flank and sent over a number of telling crosses.

Despite the considerable pressure, there was relatively little direct threat on Andy Woods' goal and when Boston took the lead through Paul Fewings there was more than a touch of the bizarre about it.

Lee Howarth's fierce shot was cleared off the line by Shaun Rennison but the ball clipped Fewings just behind the ear and flew past Woods.

That only one goal was scored in the first half owed much to the muddy pitch.

Home goalkeeper Paul Bastock was inches away from scoring a memorable goal when a long clearance found some firm ground, bounced over the head of Woods and rolled towards the goal-line, only to stop in the cloying mud a finger's length away from what would have been an embarrassing moment.

Neil Thompson had reorganised his defence to dispense with wingbacks. Rennison and Paul Ellender looked far happier with their increased responsibilities.

However, the rest of the side took longer to come to grips with the new formation.

Twice in the first half, 37-year-old Thompson made long forays into the other half of the field and could justifiably feel aggrieved that on neither occasion did a Scarborough player venture up in support.

After the interval it was, as usual for Scarborough, a different story.

Romaine Faure, in a new midfield role, forced Bastock to make a fine save, but the 'keeper could do nothing when Cherif Diallo rose to thunder a header into the top corner of the net from twelve yards from a David Pounder cross.

It was the third goal in as many games for the Senegalese-born player and although he appears awkward he has the knack of scoring. Despite the financial uncertainty at the club, a contract offer seems overdue.

Six minutes later, Scarborough were in the lead when Diallo and Steve Brodie combined well and Brodie hit his shot low and firm from the edge of the penalty area to beat Bastock again.

However, within a minute, the home side were level following a controversial penalty. Rennison was adjudged to have fouled Fewings, although the contact seemed minimal. Paul Wilson's spot-kick was superbly saved by Woods, but Wilson reacted quickly to slot home the rebound.

Thompson was unhappy about the penalty decision. "To say it was debatable would be understating the obvious and I think the decision spoke for itself with the fact that after the game, people had to ask why the penalty was awarded," he said.

"However, I thought we were more comfortable with our new formation and once we got going in the second half, we played some good football and I think we deserved all three points."

In the last ten minutes, Scarborough produced a few more skirmishes and deflected efforts, but in truth it was Woods who made two superb saves to keep out shots from Turner and Fewings to ensure that Thompson's team came away with a point.