St Neots Town F.C.
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St Neots Manager Steve Lomas will be delighted with the three points gleaned from this match but definitely not pleased with his team's performance. In his programme notes he had criticised his side for ‘not playing well enough' against Holbeach despite the 3-1 victory but this was certainly no better. His side lacked ideas and inspiration and a cutting edge against the side with the worst defensive record in the division and only an excellent finish by substitute Greg Usher with his first goal for the club four minutes from time saved his sides' blushes. Desborough seldom looked like scoring although their goal was a sweetly struck effort but it is difficult to remember other real chances they created. They were strong and competitive in midfield where St Neots were out muscled at times and the main attacking idea employed by the home side was a long ball over defence hoping that the tireless Jon Mitchell would run on to take advantage - which he did for the first goal. However this was not a case of the front runners not taking their chances - more a case of the side not creating enough chances against a very poor defence. Dan Jacobs was missing nursing an injury sustained at Holbeach and Josh Sozzo was unavailable so two changes were enforced but it may be that the attack will need to be freshened if the side is to maintain its winning run.

It began quite well with St Neots taking the lead after eight minutes. Paul Garrett lobbed the ball over a square lying Desborough defence and Jon Mitchell playing against his former side and making his first full start after missing three games through suspension and injury showed a characteristic turn of speed to beat Desborough keeper Tom Smith to the ball and lob it into the empty net. Three minutes later a far post headed by out of sorts Liam Harrold to a Rob Hughes corner was well gathered by Smith and then after 13 minutes in almost their only real first half attack Desborough snatched a surprise equaliser. The ball was worked down the left and David Coleman curled a perfectly placed shot into the far corner of the net just under the bar with St Neots goalkeeper and defence expecting a cross. Harrold then shot wide from 30 yards and Hughes tested the keeper with a stinging free kick but St Neots were not carving out the chances that their superior possession demanded. Jon Docker making a rare start in place of Jacobs twice shot wide and just on half time St Neots keeper Luke McShane was called into serious action for the first time to push away a narrow angled shot from Jason Turner.

Desborough had an early chance after the restart to go into a surprise lead when Turner beat the offside trap and perhaps should have scored but McShane smothered his shot and then pounced on the loose ball. That should have acted as a wake up call to St Neots but some revised tactics were required some Chris Hyem was sent on to freshen midfield with Nicky Hurst making way. They then created two good chances in as many minutes with Smith producing a great save to deny Mitchell a second goal at his near post and Harrold heading tamely wide from a Docker cross when he had found space. The second substitution saw the introduction of Greg Usher and he quickly began to terrorise the visiting defence. He headed wide and shot over the bar and always looked capable of producing the unexpected and it was probably only to be expected when he claimed what proved to be the priceless winning goal. Lodge fed Garret on the left and his excellent pull back from the bye line found the heads of Usher and he buried the ball in the net. The Referee added on six minutes of time for stoppages and time wasting and at the end of this period St Neots should have claimed a bonus goal. The Desborough defence went missing and Jon Mitchell dribbled past the last defender and round the keeper but his rolled shot rebounded from the foot of a post and was acrobatically cleared off the line by Perry Johnson.

• Team: McShane, Hurst, Lodge, Hyem (M), Fuff, Gent, Docker, Hughes, Harrold, Mitchell, Garrett
• Subs: Hyem (C) (for Hurst 59 mins), Usher (for Docker 66 mins), Kenneford, Lomas & Fox
• Man of Match: Jon Mitchell

Match date: Tue 17th November 2009