St Neots Town F.C.
Supporting the saints online

Three more points and their unbeaten run extended to seven games but even the most diehard fans will agree that this was another unconvincing St Neots performance at Rowley Park. Manager Steve Lomas sprang something of a pre-match shock announcing that he had dropped six of the side that had started the previous match at Deeping including himself. The resultant switching of players and introduction of three for their first full matches led to an uncoordinated first half as the players struggled to acquaint themselves with their new team mates and struggling Raunds who have not won themselves since 3rd October were never in too much danger of conceding a goal in the first twenty minutes. St Neots were hardly inspired when Josh Sozzo having scored a first goal from the penalty spot then missed a second spot kick producing a carbon copy of the first that was comfortably pushed away by visiting keeper Chris Jones. However on the positive side Daniel French one of the debutants looked speedy and inventive on the right flank and when called upon goalkeeper Luke McShane made several important saves.

The visitors had the first chance after four minutes when defender Gavin Fitzgerald was left unmarked at a corner and McShane was perfectly placed to save the low shot.   Ten minutes later Karl Bates also had a half chance when he was left with too much room but once again McShane kept his goal intact. Between these two efforts Josh Sozzo had two off target attempts on goal for St Neots and when the first goal arrived it should have prompted St Neots into more a more positive approach. It was after 23 minutes when Sozzo picked up a through pass from French to attack on the right side of the penalty area but a clumsy and probably unnecessary challenge by Fitzgerald earned him a booking and gave St Neots a penalty kick that Josh Sozzo despatched. In the next fifteen minutes four attempts on goal by St Neots were all either high or wide and as the match moved into first half added time a cross by Michael Hyem was handled under the nose of an Assistant Referee and once again a booking was administered and a penalty awarded. Sozzo once again shot low to the keeper’s right but Jones dived to push the shot away and a good chance to establish a commanding position was lost.

Three minutes after the break Jones was in action again doing well to save a shot by Jon Docker but two minutes later a slick move saw French round his marker and cross for Josh Sozzo to score the second goal with an impressive diving header. Raunds were producing little in the way of direct football with most of their attempts on goal coming from poorly directed free kicks and with St Neots seemingly lacking ideas to turn possession into goals Manager Lomas sent on Jon Mitchell for Greg Usher and Jordan Gent for the limping Andy Lodge. For a while St Neots did produce some more positive attacking play principally on the right flank where French had the beating of his marker but the finishing once again lacked direction and confidence. With thirteen minutes left Raunds created their best chance of the match with Bates going clear but McShane proved his worth to the side leaving his line to block what looked a certain goal and two minutes later in action again he denied substitute Adam Taylor by diving bravely at his feet to smother the shot. St Neots rallied late in the game and Sozzo had two more excellent chances to complete a hat trick but Jones produced two excellent saves and the match ended rather tamely with St Neots certain winners but still searching vainly for a killer punch to turn chances into goals. With the top teams all winning their midweek matches there was no change to the order at the top of the table.

• Team: McShane, Hyem (M), Lodge, Hyem (C), Fuff, Jones, French, Hughes, Sozzo, Usher, Docker
• Subs: Gent (for Lodge 60 mins), Mitchell (for Usher 64 mins), Garrett (for Docker 72 mins), Harrold & Scully
• Man of Match: Daniel French

Match date: Tue 1st December 2009