Pitching In Northern Premier League Midland Division
ST NEOTS TOWN 1 SHEPSHED DYNAMO 2
St Neots shunned the opportunity to close the gap at the foot of the table as they fell to yet another home league defeat. It was their eleventh home defeat of the season (having only been beaten six times away) – eight of those defeats by just a single goal. So now with just twelve matches left and currently five points from safety they face a tough end to the season as they strive to preserve their Step Four status. With this victory visitors Shepshed climbed to sixth in the table just three points shy of a play-off place and completed a league double over the Saints. There was just one team change for the home side with Lewis Burgess returning at full back in place of Kwadwo Bugyei-Kyei.
The match began quite competitively with Charlie Bowen seeing a shot deflected for a corner whilst at the other end Fin Ryder tested James Goff. A header from Declan Peart then rebounded from a goalpost as the visitors began to dominate. Up for a long St Neots throw Harvey Henderson headed narrowly wide but after 24 minutes the visitors went ahead when from a corner the St Neots defence failed to clear and Niall Prendeville netted from close range. Shepshed then settled dominating much of the midfield exchanges with St Neots main efforts coming from long clearances chased unsuccessfully by their front players. St Neots best attempt to find an equaliser was a shot from outside the area from Henderson that was blocked by a defender.
St Neots came from the break looking more positive and Jowan Partridge was booked when he brought down a home player making for goal. At the other end the same visiting player then fired wide when well placed and from a corner for the visitors Goff arched his back to push a Jack Samples effort over the crossbar. The match was more open now, but St Neots struggled to find a significant opening against a well-drilled defence. They sent on James Stainsby to boost their attack in place of Marcus Goldbourne, but this had little impact and then Henderson was injured as he got back to rob Jesse Friend who had gone clear of the home defence. However, after 69 minutes the visitors doubled their lead as Ryder unselfishly set up the unmarked Fin Ryder to double Shepshed’s advantage. St Neots send on Andrian Ankrah for the hobbling Henderson and for a while St Neots looked to be in the ascendancy. Their efforts were rewarded fifteen minutes from time when Rhys Thorpe set up Harvey Williams to net with a crisp finish. That set up a competitive final spell with the visitors happy to defend in numbers and their only real chance to increase their lead was when in a breakaway attack Aaron Korpal looked to be clear on goal when he collided with the St Neots goalkeeper. Goff was booked – the danger averted but St Neots still could not find that elusive second goal their second half comeback had merited.
Tonight’s SaintsSupporters’ Man of the Match, In association with The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – CHARLIE BOWEN
St Neots Town: Goff, Agemoh-Davies, Burgess, Parker, Henderson, Bowen, Gouldbourne. Willis, Thorpe, Muyembe, Williams
Subs: Stainsby (for Goldbourne 57 mins), Ankrah (for Henderson 65 mins), Okolie (for Muyembe 88 mins), Bugyei-Kyei, and Barratt,
Cards: Thorpe (Y – 16 mins), Goff (Y- 81 mins), Agemoh-Davies (Y – 90+6 mins)
Goals: Williams (75 mins)
Shepshed Dynamo: Wallis, Timson, Samples, Richards, Peart. Prendeville, Korpal, Partridge, Ryder, Friend, Collins
Subs: Rogers (for Friend 85 mins), Bayliss, Dixon, Burkey, and Fox.
Cards: Partridge (Y – 42 mins), Prendeville (Y – 49 mins)
Goals: Prendeville (24 mins), Ryder (69 mins)