Two Points Dropped As Saints Draw A Blank At Home To Rugby

ST NEOTS TOWN         0           RUGBY BOROUGH          0 

St Neots squandered an excellent opportunity to cement their play-off hopes when they served up an inept performance against a hard-working visiting side that came for a point and went home satisfied. Rugby was too easily able to stifle St Neots attacking ideas and even create chances of their own but in ninety minutes plus added time there was only once that either goalkeeper was severely tested and that was not until the 80th minute. There was a noticeable lack of quality in St Neots’ passing and finishing and they still need seven points from their six remaining matches to guarantee a place in the end-of-season play offs. With central defender Charlie Bowen unavailable Manager Cameron Mawer handed his role to utility player Rob Parker and rested Dean Dummett. A further change was required when Connor Furlong broke down in the warm-up so into the side came Michael Amaeshike for his league debut, Dammy Nickels and Israel Ajana.

In a low key first half St Neots was noticeably slow to settle whilst the visitors seemed happy to play with the ball in their own area making little headway forward. From a Murphy Culkin free kick, Michael Amaeshike won the ball in the air but directed his effort into the arms of the visiting keeper, and although Israel Ajana tried to boost his side with darting runs down the flank, he was either fouled by visiting defenders or unable to deliver a telling finish. James Hatch headed over from a Culkin free kick and then had a shot blocked after neat play by Amaeshike and when Ajana went past two defenders his finish was too high. At the other end the only notable attack by Rugby saw Gez McGahey head over the bar after good approach play by Max Johnson and the first half ended with a Dammy Nickels free kick deflected wide and an effort by Hatch that was too high.

The frustrating thing was St Neots waste of opportunity because they sent seven corners in a row directly into the visiting keeper’s arms whilst they were well on top in the second half. Midway through the second half they moved to a three-man defence pushing the full backs forward in support, but it rendered little improvement in their fortunes. Substitutes Dean Dummett and Tommy Reynolds provided a variety in their attacking efforts without any significant improvement in fortune although Rhys Thorpe had a close-range effort blocked and Dummett fired wildly over the bar. Ten minutes from time visiting keeper Jake Bull twisted in the air to deny Hatch with an outstanding save and ironically in added time Jamal Adams could have stolen all the points but clear on goal he dragged his shot wide of the far post.

So, St Neots must now redouble their efforts to pick up points away at Bugbrooke and at Newport Pagnell before the important Easter Programme which sees them with two home matches.

 

 

Rank	Teams	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Goal difference	Points	Current form
1	Wellingborough Town	38	29	5	4	92	32	60	92	WWWWW
2	Racing Club Warwick	38	24	8	6	90	44	46	80	DLWWD
3	Aylestone Park	38	25	5	8	103	60	43	80	LWWLW
4	St Neots Town FC	38	22	9	7	74	35	39	75	LLWWW
5	March Town United	38	22	9	7	69	40	29	75	WWDWD
6	Newport Pagnell Town	37	19	5	13	70	53	17	59	WWDLD
7	Yaxley FC	37	16	8	13	76	60	16	56	LLDDW
8	GNG Oadby Town	38	16	7	15	74	89	-15	55	DWLLW

 

Today’s Saints Supporters’ Man of the Match, Kindly Sponsored By The Greystones Public House, Sawtry – NATHAN GEORGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Neots Town:   Goff, Nickels, Culkin, Tavernier, George, Parker, Brown, Amaeshike Thorpe, Hatch, Ajana

Subs:  Dummett (for Amaeshike 69 mins), Reynolds (for Ajana 69 mins), Akinbobola (for Thorpe 87 mins), Muyembe,  and Brookes.

Cards:  Ajana (Y – 62 mins), George (Y – 73 mins)

Rugby:  Bull, Blair, Flaig, Whitehead, Baker, Johnson, Cristofaro, McGahey, Lockley, Adams, Halim

Subs:   Shaw (for Lockley 72 mins), Steele (for Cristofaro 87 mins), Cooke, Barnett, and Webb.

Cards:  Adams (Y – 79 mins), Shaw (Y – 90+3 mins)

 

Referee:  Sam Anderson (Corby, Northants)

Attendance:  283

 (John Walker)