NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Nothing earned and nothing deserved either as St Neots Town suffer again on the road
St Neots Town boss Matt Clements (left) was not impressed by his side's performance at Cirencester. - Credit: Archant
Manager Matt Clements admitted St Neots Town got exactly what they deserved last Saturday . . . nothing.
Saints were beaten 2-1 at fellow Southern League Premier Division battlers Cirencester after failing to hold onto an early advantage provided by Jevani Brown’s 14th goal in as many appearances for the club.
But while the club’s recent climb out of the drop-one has been built on some terrific home showings, the same level of form has not been replicated on the road.
This was an eighth successive league reverse for Saints on their travels – a run which stretches back to mid-November and the reign of previous boss Andy Davies.
“We didn’t do enough to get anything out of the game,” said Clements. “We hugged and puffed, but we were naïve at times and lacked any quality at all.
“We spoke at half-time about our shortcomings in the first half, but we ended up repeating them in the second half.
“Our goal was the real highlight, but we couldn’t build on it. The away-day hoodoo continues.”
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Saints hit the front at Cirencester in their first attack of note as Brown pounced to fire home from 20 yards after a defender had made a hash of attempting to clear a lofted Lee Clarke pass.
But they could only hang onto the lead for four minutes as Alan Griffin headed past goalkeeper Alex Archer after losing the attentions of the Saints defence.
And the turnaround was completed 10 minutes before the break when an Elliott Dunton blast, hit through a packed penalty area, found the net following a corner.
Saints weren’t helped by the loss of the dangerous Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson to injury just before the break, and they rarely looked like clawing themselves level in the second period.
In fact their own goalkeeper, Archer, was busier than his opposite number. He denied Dan Demkiv before goalscorer Griffin glanced another presentable opportunity wide.
Saints’ did threaten late on, but Cirencester keeper Glyn Garner denied James Tricks and Brown before Declan Rogers’ effort was deflected behind for a corner.
The defeat left St Neots five points above the drop-zone ahead of a trip to King’s Lynn tomorrow night (Tuesday).
Fellow local side, St Ives Town, are also in action tomorrow. They host high-flying Hitchin at ProEdge Westwood Road.