ST NEOTS TOWN 0 EASINGTON SPORTS 1
Following their recent disappointing league cup defeat at the hands of lower graded Clipstone, St Neots returned home to turn in their worst performance of the season. Beaten by a goal to nil by visitors Easington Sports, who recorded only their second league victory in eight outings this season, the home side were poor and even missed a penalty kick that might have afforded them a share of the points. The visitors arrived with a game plan that they executed to perfection soaking up home attacking before hitting back swiftly on the break and having snatched a goal around the hour mark they defended stoutly in numbers to stifle the St Neots attacking efforts – best described today as largely ineffective. Visiting keeper Jack Myatt played well in goal saving a penalty kick and riding his luck at times, but St Neots with three of their regulars back from injury got what they deserved from this match. With James Hatch, skipper Kyle Lincoln and goalkeeper James Goff all back in the starting lineup, Tom Rowley was on the bench with Demi Romeo and Malaki Black not in the squad.
St Neots had the first real opening after ten minutes when Harvey Williams was upended on the edge of the penalty area but Sam Johnson’s free kick was blocked by the defensive wall. Jordan Brown then shot wide after neat play by Johnson, but after losing defender Elliott Barton to injury the visitors hit back with Josh Reilly shooting wide after being played clear by Chay Buckingham. Dean Dummett fired over the bar and then a well-placed free kick by Johnson was saved at full stretch by the visiting keeper. Williams burst through but fired over the bar and Brown had St Neots’ clearest chance, but his mishit shot was comfortably saved by Myatt. The final first half chance saw Reilly head over the bar for the visitors from a Joe Eyre corner.
St Neots had the first real opening after ten minutes when Harvey Williams was upended on the edge of the penalty area but Sam Johnson’s free kick was blocked by the defensive wall. Jordan Brown then shot wide after neat play by Johnson, but after losing defender Elliott Barton to injury the visitors hit back with Josh Reilly shooting wide after being played clear by Chay Buckingham. Dean Dummett fired over the bar and then a well-placed free kick by Johnson was saved at full stretch by the visiting keeper. Williams burst through but fired over the bar and Brown had St Neots’ clearest chance, but his mishit shot was comfortably saved by Myatt. The final first half chance saw Reilly head over the bar for the visitors from a Joe Eyre corner.After the break St Neots early opening effort saw Brown attempt to set up strike partner Hatch but he failed to connect with the cross and the chance went begging. After 56 minutes Williams was brought down inside the area resulting in the award of a penalty kick for the home side but Johnson’s effort was comfortably saved by the visiting keeper and within two minutes Easington broke clear and Joe Eyre lobbed the advancing goalkeeper to give the visitors the lead. In the next St Neots attack a Hatch close range effort was cleared off the line by a defender and when the tricky Williams was fouled within yards of the dug outs, the vociferous protests by St Neots Assistant Manager George Thorne saw him red carded by the Referee. Williams was assisted off with Tom Rowley substituting. St Neots continued to have the greater possession but made little positive use of it with Brown having a shot blocked and the same played sending substitute Matteo Perkins clear but he delayed his shot and was robbed by a defender. Magloire Muyembe and substitute Israel Ajana had shots comfortably saved by Myatt and despite having a player sent off in added time, Easington comfortably played out the rest of the match preserving their slender advantage to take all three points.
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