St Neots 1 Stewarts and Lloyds Corby 2 ST NEOTS manager Steve Lomas hailed his side s best performance since he took over, despite Saturday s narrow defeat to league leaders Stewarts and Lloyds Corby at Rowley Park. The Saints boss was encouraged by the

St Neots 1 Stewarts and Lloyds Corby 2

ST NEOTS manager Steve Lomas hailed his side's best performance since he took over, despite Saturday's narrow defeat to league leaders Stewarts and Lloyds Corby at Rowley Park.

The Saints boss was encouraged by the number of chances created against the title-chasers, but bemoaned his side's inability to convert them.

"If it had been a boxing match it would have been stopped long before the end. It was definitely the best performance since I've been here."

The home side started brightly and had chances to take the lead before falling behind to a speculative 40-yard lob from Michael Byrne on 26 minutes. The ball dropped over Saints keeper Carl Mackney's head for Byrne's 24th goal of the season. His second, in first-half added time, looked to have secured the points for Corby, but St Neots continued to attack strongly in the second half.

Their reward came on 65 minutes when Lee Bassett, making his debut since his move from Huntingdon, pulled one back to set up a nervy finish. The visitors dropped deep to absorb St Neots pressure, but remained dangerous on the counter-attack, with Byrne being denied his hat-trick by the foot of the post.

"In terms of passing and creating chances, we made them look a very ordinary team," said Lomas. "If you didn't know who the higher-placed team were, you would have said it was us."

"We've been working hard on the training pitch, and it is now starting to show. We've tightened up in defence, and we're creating chances - now we need to take them," he added.