St Neots Town F.C.
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St Neots' fifth clean sheet in a row in the league was slightly spoiled because they failed to score at the other end of the field and it was disappointing to drop two more home points especially as Daventry Town edged closer at the top with a 4-0 away victory at S/L Corby. However 2007 champions Deeping are no push over starting the day in third place in the league table and although St Neots finished strongly and could have stolen a victory late in the game it was a fair result to an entertaining and competitive match. Even when visiting goalkeeper Lea Jordan was beaten in the second half the ball bounced from the woodwork and it was frustrating not to win but Steve Lomas will be the first to concede that his side were nowhere near as good as they were at Daventry seven days earlier. The side showed only one change from that which had won at Daventry with Lomas having to watch from the side as he recovers from injury.

Both sides set off in attacking mode and both could have scored inside the first three minutes. Visiting keeper Jordan did well to claw away a cross from the head of Liam Harrold after good work by Jon Mitchell and at the other end Scott Musgrave should have done better than put his effort over the bar. The competitive edge was apparent when visiting skipper James Dean was booked for a scything tackle on Tony Scully after just nine minutes and then Dan Jacobs played a diagonal pass through the defence to free Musgrave but his angled shot beat the far post to St Neots' relief. Rob Hughes shot over the bar but Deeping were shading the first half with efforts by Luke Kennedy and Jacobs just wide of their target and then Luke McShane produced a great save to get behind a Kennedy shot on the turn that looked destined for the back of the net.

If Deeping had claimed the better of the first 45 minutes it was all change on the resumption. St Neots employed a change of tactics moving Tony Scully up to a free role just behind the front two leaving just three in midfield. The change brought far more success for St Neots with Luke Knight forcing a great save from Jordan with a rising volley after Mitchell had pinched the ball off a defender. After 66 minutes following another concerted attack St Neots were unlucky not to go in front when Rob Hughes hit a fierce shot through a crowded area only for the ball to rebound from a post. Steve Lomas then freshened up his attack bringing on Josh Sozzo for Mitchell and he was quickly in the action after a good combination move between Scully and Harrold but Sozzo's carefully placed side foot shot was pushed away with one hand by the visiting goalkeeper. In a rare attack from Deeping Mark Paul wriggled his way between the two St Neots central defenders but McShane left his line to bravely block the shot and St Neots moved back on to the attack and Harrold saw his low shot pushed away by the tumbling Jordan. McShane then did well to parry Jacobs' close range effort but the last few minutes play all took place in and around the Deeping penalty area. Paul Garrett sent a free kick wide and in time added Luke Knight brought the third significant second half save from Jordan. Competitive until the end visiting skipper James Dean earned himself a second yellow card for a dangerous lunge on Tony Scully and was sent off and a final effort from Knight was deflected wide of goal as Deeping held on for their point.

• Team: McShane, Hyem, Lodge, Knight, Fuff, Gent, Scully, Hughes, Harrold, Mitchell, Garrett
• Subs: Sozzo (for Mitchell 70 mins), Hurst, Kenneford & Conroy Owen
• Man of Match: Tony Scully

Match date: Sat 17th October 2009