NORTHERNPREMIERLEAGUE–MIDLANDSDIVISION

HarboroughTown 1

StNeotsTown 1

InthreeoftheirlastfourmatchesStNeotshaveledbyagoaltonilatthebreak yet have only gone on to win one of them. They returned from Harborough with a point that was welcome but if they had capitalised on their chances, it could have been all three.They were much the better side on the first half but had to withstand a lot of second half pressure as the home side hit back with a vengeance. Once again with the injury jinx forcing team changes, St Neots had skipper Callum Anderson and striker Robbie Mason missing from their starting line-up but Manny Osei, Andre Hasanally and Patrick Campbell returned to the side with Theo Sackey-Mensah on the bench. There was also a welcome return as substitute, for temporary Cambridge United loanee Mamadou Jobe coming backfrominjurythathadcurtailedhisloantoahighergradedclub. His second half introduction for the injured Alex Solomon saw St Neots defence assume a confidencethathadbeenmissingforawhile.

St Neots adopted a positive approach to the game and apart from a seventh minute volley by Dan Forbes confidently handled by Jamie Greygoose, St Neots looked the better side. Andre Hasanally had two shots from outside the area well saved by home keeper Elliott Taylor and the visitors’ front two Trey Charles and Manny Osei kept the home defence on their toes. St Neots took the lead on 21 minutes when Charles won the ball wide on the right to bring Osei into the attack and his cross was spilled by Taylor and Charles took full advantage darting between defenders to put his side in front. Restricted to attacking on the break the home sides’ best first half chance came in time added at the end of the first half when a Gary Mulligan corner found the head ofDanForbes,buthiseffortsailedwelloverthebar. Thesecondperiodsawmorescoringchancesatbothends. WithJobeonforthe limping Alex Solomon St Neots looked more assured in defence and following a set piece after 55 minutes defender Toib Adeyemi went clear, but his narrow angledshotreboundedoffthegoalkeeper’slegstobecleared.

HARBOROUGHTOWNFC -OURLASTMEETING

Harborough had reshaped their side after the break and they looked more threatening in attack with Nat Ansu firing wide after a defensive slip and from a Rhys Hoenes corner, substitute Rhys Kelly sent an unchallenged header over the crossbar.Saleem Akanbi set up Charles with a penetrating through ball, but Taylor saved with his feet and at the other end Jamie Greygoose did well to save a Dom Wysocki header from a Hoenes free kick.After 77 minutes from another Hoenes set-up Kelly was again off target with a header but the home pressure paid off eleven minutes from time when Ansu sprinted into the penalty area to be brought down by a combination of two defenders and from the penalty spot James Ireland levelled the scores. Both sides tried hard to find a winning goal but now both defences seemed determined to give nothing awayandthesideshadtosettleapointapiece.

St Neots: Greygoose, Solomon, Smith, Nche, Campbell, Adeyemi, Tarpey, Charles,Hasanally,Osei,Akanbi.

Subs: Jobe (for Solomon 46 mins), Barton (for Osei 65 mins), Sackey-Mensah (for Campbell(80mins),andJickiemi.

Cards: Charles (Y – 49 mins), Hassanally (Y – 72 mins), Campbell (Y – 74 mins), Barton(Y–76mins).

Goal:Charles(21mins)

Harborough: Taylor, Casey, Edwards, Mulligan, Williams, Preston, Forbes, Walsh,Ansu,Wysocki,Hoeness.

Subs:Ireland(forCasey46mins),Kelly(forWalsh46mins),Malone(forWilliams 58mins),FureyandAtcha.

Cards:none

Goal:Ireland–pen–(79mins)

Referee:KieranForrest(Smethwick)

JohnWalker