Pitching In Northern Premier League Midland
ST NEOTS TOWN 2 CORBY TOWN 0
Just one defeat in their last eight league matches will not prove enough to prevent St Neots finishing a disappointing season with their second relegation from Step Four in four seasons. Their latest valiant effort to avoid the drop resulted in a very creditable performance, a victory over Corby Town,and three more points which lifted them to nineteenth in the league table. Now they are five points adrift of Bedworth whose superior goal difference means they need just one point from their last two matches to condemn St Neots to the drop. Cameron Mawer’s side now wind up their season with matches against top of the table Anstey Nomads (home) and sixth placed Racing Club Warwick (away) – a side that can make the play-offs if other results go their way. However, this did not look like a performance by a side who had given up hope of a miraculous escape from the drop. Short in strength with recent signing Kwadwo Bugyei-Kyei having joined the growing injury list, they boasted just two outfield substitutes plus their manager for this contest and then lost skipper Robbie Parker after just 35 minutes through injury. Trey Charles came into an otherwise unchanged side replacing Bugyei-Kyei.
Losing the toss St Neots faced the elements in the first half but coped really well. In fact, they had much the better of the play and should have been further ahead than their single goal at the break. However, it took some time to settle to their revised line-up after Trey Charles had sent their first effort just wide after three minutes. Visiting skipper Jordan Crawford produced a bust of speed to test James Goff after eight minutes but St Neots then settled to dominate proceedings. Neo Richard Noel saw a shot deflected for a corner and Charles shot over the bar and after twenty minutes Richard Noel unselfishly set up the lively Harvey Williams whose finish was too high. An acrobatic bicycle kick by visiting striker Fletcher Toll flew over the St Neots crossbar but St Neots continued to enjoy the bulk of the attacking playuntil skipper Robbie Parker limped off injured to be replaced by James Stainsby. MJ Muyembe slotted in at full back with the versatile Sam Willis filling in the vacant central defensive role. Then six minutes before the break Williams was brought down in the area and from the resultant penalty award, MJ Muyembe gave St Neots their deserved half time lead.
A second goal for St Neots came nine minutes after the break when Neo Richard-Noel pounced on a mishit shot by Rhys Thorpe to extend the lead. With the wind now dropping the visiting side responded but found the St Neots defence firm and confident. Goff produced a point-blank effort to foil Brad Gothard and as the visitors utilised all their substitutes, they began to test the St Neots back line but as the visitors’ efforts subsided St Neots could have added to their tally. Charles saw his firm finish pushed for a corner and the lively Williams saw a net bound effort deflected by a defender. It was a victory well-deserved but may turn out to be of little consequence.
Today’s Saints Supporters Man of the Match, in association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – NEO RICHARD-NOEL
St Neots: Goff, Willis, Burgess, Ankrah, Henderson, Parker, Charles, Richard-Noel, Thorpe, Muyembe, Williams
Subs: Stainsby (for Parker 35 mins), Obeng (for Richard-Noel 87 mins), Sears, and Mawer.
Cards: none
Goals: Muyembe (pen) (39 mins), Richard-Noel (54 mins)
Corby: Brazil, Lievens, Tsvetkov, Bahrey, Matthews, Gothard, Crawford, Jones, Toll, Winter, Challinor
Subs: Obiagwu (for Bahrey 46 mins), Webster (for Challinor 61 mins), Young (for Winters 70 mins), Ngwa (for Toll (76 mins), Martindale (for Matthews 76 mins).
Cards: Crawford (Y – 43 mins)
Goals: none
Attendance: 352
Referee: Luke Scott (Northampton)
(John Walker)