Match Report  |  St Neots Town vs Gresley Rovers

This was a game in which both sides were desperate for all three points but also not wanting to lose so it produced a largely scrappy game with intervals of good play from both teams on a blustery afternoon and arguably the largest playing surface in the league.

Rovers were missing two significant players with Alby Lansdowne absent due to family reasons and Danny Munday due to illness.

The visitors began well and should have had, at least, a chance of taking an early lead when on 2 minutes James Spruce was brought down in the area. Referee Mario Stetakovic, after a couple of seconds pointed to the spot. Spruce collected the ball ready to take his chance but then after the protests of the home side gathering around the assistant referee, the referee decided to consult his assistant and amazingly changed his mind and decision and awarded the home side a free kick.

Rovers were still having the best of the play with Spruce putting his effort over the bar.

St Neots then, against the run of play, took the lead. On 12 minutes they were awarded a corner taken from the right by Liam Hook. The ball flew to the back post and headed back into the area and then looped towards goal where Trey Charles jumped in front of Gresley keeper Lewis Fenney and managed to head the ball over the keeper.

That goal sparked the home side into action and they soon were putting Rovers under some pressure for the first time in the match with Charles firing a shot which visiting keeper, Fenney, held onto.

Just after the half-hour mark, Rovers had a chance to level. Lewis Belgrave hit a stinging low shot on target which home keeper Tom Finch couldn’t hold but the ball was cleared before any Rovers’ players, running in, could take advantage.

With the first half rapidly coming to a close Rovers got back into the game. A ball into the middle was picked up by Dominic Perkins and after a couple of strides forward he smashed a shot from distance which beat Finch to give Rovers a deserved equaliser.

Within minutes of the second half starting, St Neots went close to re-taking the lead when a cross from the left flew across the face of Fenney’s goal but there was no final touch to complete the move.

The game again went into a period of scrappy play not helped by the stiff breeze blowing from end to end. Rovers manager Carl Abbott made the first of his changes with Kane Lee replacing Kieron Berry and Michael Williams replacing Bekir Halil.

Both players had an almost instant effect on the game and Rovers looked more dangerous especially on the break but it was the home side who went close again. Fenney came out to try and clear the danger but the ball was played past him but the ball was cleared by a defender before it reached the net.

Both sides made changes with Joe Rider replacing Osei and Tyler Donaldson replacing Spruce.

A corner from the right saw Shaquille Leachman-Whittingham’s header go straight into the arms of the thankful Finch and minutes later the same player was unlucky to see his shot fly wide of the far post.

With the time almost up, Rovers had one final chance to grab all three points, but Leachman-Whittingham’s shot cleared the bar and both sides had to settle for a share of the points.