St Neots Town F.C.
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With Danny Marlow and player/manager Steve Lomas still injured and Andy Lodge absent ill St Neots fortunes were further damaged as they picked up two more injuries in this victory. Luke Knight deputising for Marlow was taken to hospital with a suspected broken foot and leading scorer Liam Harrold missed the second half after sustaining a rib injury. However amongst the gloom of player problems St Neots ground out another three points from a scrappy game in which they never achieved their true rhythm. Daventry Town also won on the night and with St Ives losing the two leaders have now opened up a significant gap at the top of the Premier Division. St Neots' match winner was Josh Sozzo who came off the bench to score a significant goal for the third time this season. There was also another important performance in goal for Luke McShane who made two important saves to enable his side to record their sixth consecutive clean sheet in league matches.

St Neots began like they were going to score a hatful of goals and could have been two up in as many minutes. John Mitchell beat the offside trap to go clear but failed to go round the approaching goalkeeper who parried the ball at his feet and then Rob Hughes hit a tremendous net bound volley but home keeper Chris Jones twisted in the air to push the ball over the bar. Luke Knight also tested the keeper from distance and then Liam Harrold headed tamely over the bar from a Tony Scully cross. Raunds' first direct shot on goal was a free kick by Karl Bates comfortable saved by Luke McShane after 25 minutes and then four minutes later the keeper produced a brilliant save at the feet of Ian Blaikie who had looked certain to put Raunds ahead against the run of play. As the first half St Neots momentum seemed to diminish and although Hughes and Knight had further shots from outside the area Raunds seemed to be able to both smother St Neots attacks as well as building openings themselves. Just before the break McShane again did well to push a Josh Davis free kick for a corner and the sides were still level at the break.

Liam Harrold failed to appear after the break so substitute Josh Sozzo was again given a chance up front and he did not disappoint. After 58 minutes a Paul Garrett corner was knocked down by a defender and Sozzo produced a fine shot that deflected in off a goalpost to put St Neots ahead. Instead of pushing home this advantage St Neots seemed to go into cruise mode and Raunds responded with chances created for Blaikie and Davis and from an Adam Taylor cross McShane did well at full stretch to get a touch to take the ball off the head of Bates. St Neots seemed to be reassuming control in the last quarter of an hour but they lost their best player Luke Knight to a reckless challenge that earned the offending player a booking. Matt Kenneford replaced Knight with a resultant team shuffle and apart from a low shot from Sozzo well saved by Jones St Neots had little to shoe for their improved possession. However Raunds seldom looked like creating any further openings and the match ended rather tamely with St Neots worthy if rather unimpressive winners.

• Team: McShane, Hurst, Hyem, Knight, Fuff, Gent, Scully, Hughes, Harrold, Mitchell, Garrett
• Subs: Sozzo (for Harrold 46 mins), Kenneford (for Knight 81 mins), Usher (for Mitchell 90 mins), Colmer & Trebes
• Man of Match: Luke Knight

Match date: Tue 20th October 2009