Match Report: Desborough Town 0 - St Neots Town 2, report by John Walker.

A greatly weakened visiting St Neots side with five further senior players missing from the Bank Holiday victory over Eynesbury Rovers saw St Neots struggling to name a full squad for this final away league match.

Playing conditions were awful with the brisk end-to-end wind testing the players control and tactics to the limit but in the end a goal in each half was sufficient to see the visitors pick up all three points and climb above March Town into fourth place in the table.

Five players came back into the starting line-up with Tommy Reynolds, back for the first time since mid-February, and Ollie Brookes in defence, Magloire Muyembe in midfield, and Rhys Thorpe and Nabil Shariff in attack.

Goalkeeper James Goff took over the captains’ armband in the absence of James Hatch, and Muyembe won the man-of-the-match award for a storming midfield display.

Winning to toss St Neots elected to play with the wind behind them and their positive brisk start suggested that was the right decision.

In the first minute home keeper Adan Honour was under constant pressure parrying a Connor Furlong shot at full stretch before blocking a Rhys Thorpe effort.

But after five minutes, he was retrieving the ball from the back of the net after Jordan Brown slammed home the opening goal from the penalty spot following a foul on Thorpe spotted by an eagle-eyed assistant referee. 

A slick move between Furlong and Brown set up Dean Dummett whose shot was deflected and then Thorpe shot wide.

The first notable effort by the home side saw Aaron Healey test James Goff whilst St Neots were guilty of some careless attacking play that saw openings go begging.

Ten minutes before the break the score should have doubled but Thorpe shot wastefully over the bar from close range and then on the stroke of half time the home side almost poached an equaliser when Kai McGee went clear of the visiting defence and with James Goff stranded the home striker saw his effort rebound off a defender for a corner.

The visitors found playing against the wind after the break a trying experience. Desborough relished their improved possession but could not find a finish with Harry Moore squandering their best opening.

On the break Thorpe headed over the bar from a Dammy Nickels free kick and Brown brought the save of the match from Honour.

The clinching goal worthy of any match winner came from an inspired run through the home defence by Magloire Muyembe who fed Brown on the right and Furlong arrived at the far post to claim only his second St Neots goal after 73 minutes.

From then on St Neots played ay their own pace to frustrate Desborough’s best efforts and collect the three points to move up to fourth in the league table.

St Neots: Goff, Nickels, Reynolds, Dummett, Brookes Culkin, Brown, Muyembe, Thorpe, Shariff, Furlong Subs: Akinbobola (for Thorpe 82 mins), Ajana (for Furlong 85 mins), Blankson, Khan, and Mawer Cards: Furlong (Y – 83 mins), Culkin (Y – 84 mins)

Desborough: Honour, Stratford, Anderson, Peplinski, Davies, Healey, Brooks, Randall, McGee, Moore, Drain Subs: McLaughlan (for Brooks 74 mins), McWilliam (for Healey 78 mins), Pickford, Stearn, and Armer Cards: none

Referee: Tolga Yilidiztepe (Leicester)