ST NEOTS TOWN 2 TRURO CITY 0
A goal in each half and a second clean defensive sheet in a row were the main ingredients of this St Neots victory that lifted them several more places up the league table. Added to this they missed a penalty so the final score line adequately sums up this match against a spirited visiting Truro side. For the first time this season Manager Iain Parr named an unchanged starting line up but they found positive progress against a stubborn visiting side difficult to achieve in the early stages of the match. However their confidence seems higher after the recent improvement in their results and this bodes well for their FA Cup trip to Canvey Island next week. An injury to inspirational midfield player Adrian Sear could be a worry ahead of the cup match but Ryan Sharman filled in effectively and with Niall Conroy looking good in goal and Dan Crowie and skipper Gavin Hoyte in solid form at the heart of the defence it was a very satisfactory and deserved victory.
Truro carved out the first chance but Matt Andrews’ downward header to a Cody Cook cross was confidently handled by Conroy. It was twenty minutes before St Neots had a clear chance and then they were unlucky not to score when a powerful Liam Hurst volley hit the goalkeeper on the line with him unable to move. However he made up for that a minute later when he saved well from Lewis Hilliard. The departure of the injured Adrian Sear seemed to halt St Neots forward moves and after an unlucky defensive deflection Les Afful fired well over the bar. However St Neots grew in confidence and Liam Hurst skilfully rounded goalkeeper Ollie Chenoweth but White got back to clear off the goal line. Alasan Ann had few openings but he did bring one important save from Chenoweth but after 38 minutes St Neots went ahead as Liam Hurst took a clever reverse pass from Hilliard and moved inside to beat the keeper at his near post with a low shot. On the stroke of half time it should have been 2-0 when St Neots were awarded a penalty kick after Cook had handled a corner. Hilliard struck the kick well but the keeper guessed right and pushed a spot kick away.
Several early second half substitutions by both sides seemed to pep up the pace with Truro striker Liam Eddy proving a thorn in the side of the home defence. Conroy saved well from his rising shot but only five minutes after his introduction St Neots substitute Karl Safee wriggled into the penalty area showing great persistence to collect a Hilliard flick and he forced the ball in to make the score 2-0. Another St Neots, substitute Dion Sembie-Ferris tested Chenoweth but St Neots looked comfortably in control until Matt Andrew his a fine shot from outside the penalty area that rebounded from the junction of bar and post to be scrambled clear twelve minutes from time. Eddy saw his shot deflected across the face of goal as Truro strained to get back in the match but St Neots were to have the last word with Jay Davies moving through the defence to fire just over the bar.
St Neots: Conroy, Nkinga, Steer, Davies, Crowie, Hoyte, Hilliard, Sear, Hurst, Ann, Adjei
Subs: Sharman (for Sear 22 mins), Sembie-Ferris (for Ann 56 mins), Safee (for Hurst 69 mins), Taylor and Wood.
Cards: Sharman (Y – 68)
Goals: Hurst (38 mins), Safee (73 mins)
Truro: Chenoweth, Cook, Swain, Evans, White, Broad, Brokenshire, Sims, Afful, Andrew, Slateford
Subs: Eddy (for Sims 64 mins), Copp (for Brokenshire 64 mins), Broomfield (for Afful 72 mins), and Ash.
Cards: Broad (Y – 30), Afful (Y – 32), Cook (Y – 45),White (Y – 84)
Goals: none
Attendance: 307
Referee: Paul Evans (Northampton)
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