NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE – MIDLANDS DIVISION
Harborough Town 1 St Neots Town 1
In three of their last four matches St Neots have led by a goal to nil at the break yet have only gone on to win one of them. They returned from Harborough with a point that was welcome but if they had capitalised on their chances, it could have been all three. They were much the better side on the first half but had to withstand a lot of second half pressure as the home side hit back with a vengeance. Once again with the injury jinx forcing team changes, St Neots had skipper Callum Anderson and striker Robbie Mason missing from their starting line-up but Manny Osei, Andre Hasanally and Patrick Campbell returned to the side with Theo Sackey-Mensah on the bench. There was also a welcome return as substitute, for temporary Cambridge United loanee Mamadou Jobe coming back from injury that had curtailed his loan to a higher graded club. His second half introduction for the injured Alex Solomon saw St Neots defence assume a confidence that had been missing for a while.
St Neots adopted a positive approach to the game and apart from a seventh minute volley by Dan Forbes confidently handled by Jamie Greygoose, St Neots looked the better side. Andre Hasanally had two shots from outside the area well saved by home keeper Elliott Taylor and the visitors’ front two Trey Charles and Manny Osei kept the home defence on their toes.
St Neots took the lead on 21 minutes when Charles won the ball wide on the right to bring Osei into the attack and his cross was spilled by Taylor and Trey Charles took full advantage darting between defenders to put his side in front. Restricted to attacking on the break the home sides’ best first half chance came in time added at the end of the first half when a Gary Mulligan corner found the head of Dan Forbes, but his effort sailed well over the bar.
The second period saw more scoring chances at both ends. With Jobe on for the limping Alex Solomon St Neots looked more assured in defence and following a set piece after 55 minutes defender Toib Adeyemi went clear, but his narrow angled shot rebounded off the goalkeeper’s legs to be cleared. Harborough had reshaped their side after the break and they looked more threatening in attack with Nat Ansu firing wide after a defensive slip and from a Rhys Hoenes corner, substitute Rhys Kelly sent an unchallenged header over the crossbar. Saleem Akanbi set up Charles with a penetrating through ball, but Taylor saved with his feet and at the other end Jamie Greygoose did well to save a Dom Wysocki header from a Hoenes free kick. After 77 minutes from another Hoenes set-up Kelly was again off target with a header but the home pressure paid off eleven minutes from time when Ansu sprinted into the penalty area to be brought down by a combination of two defenders and from the penalty spot James Ireland levelled the scores. Both sides tried hard to find a winning goal but now both defences seemed determined to give nothing away and the sides had to settle a point apiece.
This Afternoon’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match – MANNY OSEI
St Neots Town: Greygoose, Solomon, Smith, Nche, Campbell, Adeyemi, Tarpey, Charles, Hasanally, Osei, Akanbi.
Subs: Jobe (for Solomon 46 mins), Barton (for Osei 65 mins), Sackey-Mensah (for Campbell (80 mins), and Jickiemi.
Cards: Charles (Y – 49 mins), Hassanally (Y – 72 mins), Campbell (Y – 74 mins), Barton (Y – 76 mins).
Goal: Charles (21 mins)
Harborough Town: Taylor, Casey, Edwards, Mulligan, Williams, Preston, Forbes, Walsh, Ansu, Wysocki, Hoeness.
Subs: Ireland (for Casey 46 mins), Kelly (for Walsh 46 mins), Malone (for Williams 58 mins), Furey and Atcha.
Cards: none
Goal: Ireland – pen – (79 mins)
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