This report on yesterday's game is from the St Neots Town OS.
“Sometimes
you have to win ugly” said St Neots Assistant Manager Liam George and
that adequately summed up a rather disappointing match at the Cozy
Stadium. It was however three important points after St Neots had picked
up just one from their last two league outings and it was their first
clean sheet since September 9th. Hereford promised much in their
industrious approach play but delivered little in front of goal with St
Neots custodian Paul Bastock seldom tested.
The
one change in the starting line-up saw Bruce Wilson back to replace
Ollie Thorne after missing three games through injury and the return of
Ryan Frater at the back after his midweek facial injury was a welcome
sight for the home supporters.
The
result gave St Neots their first league double of the season following
their victory at Edgar Street on the opening day of the season. However
Hereford, still under the threat of being wound up because of debt,
return to court for a final decision on their future on December 1st and
St Neots will be hopeful for their continuation because if the club is
liquidated, then six league points will be lost.
St
Neots could have been ahead after just three minutes when Matt Nolan
cut in from the right to round the advancing goalkeeper but tight to the
goal line he tried to walk the ball into the net but was crowded out by
two defenders. Hereford’s main attacking threat in the early part of
the game came from quick breaks down the right flank and these produced
their first two shots on goal with Daniel Sullivan sending a rising shot
into the arms of Paul Bastock and the keeper then parried a cross shot
from Bilal Yafai. After twelve minutes, from the second corner of the
game, St Neots took the lead as Matt Spring’s cross found the head of
Josh Bickerstaff and when his powerful effort was only parried, Drew
Roberts was on hand to claim his fifteenth goal of the season with a
crisp finish.
That
should have inspired St Neots but they failed to respond and never
really tested visiting keeper Luke Williams in the remainder of the
first half. Hereford had several chances – Bilal Yafai fired wildly over
the bar and from a Steve Vetier corner Brad-Lee Gascoigne headed
towards the corner of the net but Jay Davies was perfectly placed to
clear off the line. That was to be the closest Hereford were to come to a
goal although Serge Diop should have done better just before the break
when left unmarked at the far post he sent an effort high over the bar.
There
was no significant improvement in St Neots fortunes early in the second
half. However just past the hour they did string together a really
flowing move with Hilliard, Wilson and Roberts combining neatly to set
up the overlapping Matt Spring but off balance he skied his shot over
the bar. In a bid to improve the supply to the front pair St Neots sent
on Dean Cracknell for the disappointing Jay Davies and after 70 minutes a
Spring free kick was headed back at the far post by Gavin Hoyte to find
Matt Nolan but Williams dived fearlessly at his feet to save.
Now St Neots upped the pace and their play began to show more quality. The hard working Nolan shot across the face of goal and Williams did well to save a Roberts’ header from a Bickerstaff cross.
St
Neots’ second substitute, Nathan Frater, was denied what looked to be a
certain penalty kick when he was brought down by Gascoigne and Roberts
shot narrowly wide. The save of the match came when Williams got down to
his right to push a low effort by Hilliard for a corner but with ten
minutes left St Neots decided to slow play down and protect their
slender lead. This they did well with their only anxious moment coming
when substitute Gary O’Neill shot wide after Hereford’s best second half
attack.