Pitching In Northern Premier League Midland Division
RUGBY BOROUGH 4 ST NEOTS TOWN 0
After a run of five league and cup matches without defeat, St Neots turned in a very poor team performance in the wind and sleet at Rugby and were soundly beaten. Manager Cameron Mawer was upbeat after the match as the end of the season looms, pointing out that despite the loss his side are still four points from safety – the same as they were prior to this defeat. Facing the elements in the first half St Neots held out until six minutes before the break but then conceded two quick fire goals as half time loomed. Then an early second half penalty against them sealed their fate and despite never giving up,they failed to make any significant progress towards reducing the deficit before conceding a fourth goal in added time. Injury concerns meant fielding a weakened side with Rhys Thorpe out altogether and Neo Richard-Noel and defender Charlie Bowen on the bench. Returning to the side after injury was Eniola Agemoh-Davies whilst returning to the Club after three years, Trey Charles made a quick reappearance partnering James Stainsby in attack.
Conditions in the first half were atrocious and losing the toss the visitors found themselves facing the fury of the weather as well as the home attack. Frequent heavy sleet and driving wind found them trapped inn their half of the field as the home side took full advantage. They had to defend a string of corners with James Goff under constant pressure forced to twice punch the ball away as Rugby swarmed around the penalty area. A searing volley from Tyrell Waite following one of those corners was blocked in the six yards box and then the lively Kane Richards broke clear to force a full length save from the keeper at the expense of another corner. Richards then went clear of the defence but fired wastefully over the crossbar and it was not until the weather relented after 27 minutes that the visitors mounted their first credible attack, but Eniola Agemoh-Davies shot over the bar after running at the home defence. At the other end a close-range header by Ellis Myles was too high and then St Neots best first half chance saw home keeper Marcus Bald save well from Kwadwo Bugyei-Kyei. The six minutes prior to the break were disastrous for the visitors. First the lively Tyrell Waite beat Goff from close range and sixty seconds later the score was doubled when a cross from the left set up Cam Collins for the second goal.
In calmer conditions St Neots returned for the second half determined to mend the damage. However just six minutes in Waite burst through the visiting defence to collide with Goff who had left his line. The keeper was booked and from the resultant penalty award Will Grocott added a third Rugby goal. That almost certainly settled the outcome, and the visitors never gave up competing but the home side largely controlled play. Goff saved well from Richards as the home side sought to increase their comfortable advantage and St Neots best chance of reward was foiled when the home keeper denied James Stainsby with a full length save. Predictably the home side had the last word in added time when Tyrrell White added a fourth goal.
Today’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match, in association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – JAMES GOFF
St Neots: Goff, Willis, Bugyei-Kyie, Ankrah, Henderson, Parker, Agemoh-Davies, Charles, Stainsby, Muyembe, Williams
Subs: Richard-Noel (for Charles 66 mins), Okolie (for Stainsby 77 mins), Bowen, and Mawer.
Cards: Goff (Y – 59 mins)
Goals: none
Rugby: Bald, Myles, Rowe, Duncan, Turner, Meikle, Richards, Stohrer, Waite, Grocott, Collins
Subs: Stone (for Meikle 77 mins), Gyamfi, Johnson, and Fuseini.
Cards: Collins (Y – 69 mins), Myles (Y – 82 mins)
Goals: Waite 2 (39 & 90+1 min), Grocott – pen (51 mins), Collins (63 mins)
Attendance: 241
Referee: Mitchell Cartwright (Coventry)
(John Walker)