Boston United forward Tom Cursons is the attacking focal point for a Pilgrims side currently positioned 9th in the National League standings. His form will be critical as the club aims to close a four-point gap to leaders Boreham Wood.
Cursons, 24, joined Boston United from Harrogate Town and has made an immediate impact. He has netted nine times in just 17 appearances, including a memorable hat-trick at Scunthorpe United. The striker also scored the only goal in 1-0 victories over both Sutton United and Gateshead. He recently signed a multi-year contract, securing his future at the Jakemans Community Stadium. His previous career path included spells at Ilkeston Town, Walton & Hersham United, Gainsborough Trinity, and Barwell.
Paul Hirst is the figure tasked with guiding Boston United's campaign. He brings significant promotion pedigree from this division, having achieved it twice with Grimsby Town in 2016 and 2022. His history with the club is intertwined with former Rotherham United teammate Rob Scott, with whom he managed at Ilkeston and Boston before moving to Grimsby in March 2011. Hirst's 2016 success with Grimsby was particularly notable, ending a six-year exile from the Football League by beating Forest Green Rovers in a play-off final, though that campaign included four defeats in five attempts at one stage.
Hirst's managerial journey includes a spell at Shrewsbury Town, which he joined in October 2016 when they were bottom of Sky Bet League One. He guided them to safety and then led them to a play-off final and an EFL Trophy final the following season. A move to Ipswich Town in the Championship for the 2018/19 season ended after just one win in 14 opening matches. After a brief stint at Scunthorpe United, he returned to Grimsby Town but was unable to prevent their relegation in 2021. He did, however, guide them back to the EFL at the first time of asking before departing after four consecutive defeats. A 10-month return to Shrewsbury yielded only two wins in 19 matches.
The Pilgrims have had a mixed start to the season, reflected in their league standing. They currently occupy 9th place with six points from four games, having recorded two wins and two losses. Their recent form sequence reads LWWL. For goals, they have scored four and conceded three, giving them a positive goal difference of one. Fans can track the evolving league picture on our standings page.
This context follows a 2-0 home defeat to Boreham Wood at the Jakemans Community Stadium in September. Zak Brunt and Abdul Abdulmalik scored second-half goals for the visitors, with Abdulmalik also netting first in the reverse fixture. The team will be keen to improve on that result as they look ahead in the schedule, which is available on our fixtures list.
Building consistency is the clear challenge. Last season, Boston United finished 12th in the National League North following their 2024 promotion, a campaign where they narrowly avoided relegation before a late-season surge. The attacking output, led by Cursons, appears solid, but converting chances and securing points from tight games will define their season. With the team just four points off the top, the opportunity for progress is clearly present.
