NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Spot of bother for St Neots Town as contentious penalty call sees them held to home draw
Tom Meechan tucks away St Neots Town's equaliser against Dunstable Town. Picture: CLAIRE HOWES - Credit: Archant
St Neots Town extended their unbeaten Southern League Premier Division run to five matches – despite being held to a disappointing home draw by lowly Dunstable Town on Tuesday night.
Dion Sembie-Ferris scored for St Neots Town against Dunstable Town. Picture: CLAIRE HOWES - Credit: Archant
Matt Clements’ men had to settle for a 2-2 draw at the Premier Plus Stadium after being on the receiving end of a controversial penalty decision which allowed the visitors to level late in the second half.
“It’s definitely a case of two points dropped,” admitted manager Matt Clements. “We didn’t to perform to the high standards we have set in recent games.
“Not many people would have thought we would pick up wins against the likes of Slough, Royston and Tiverton, so I’m certainly not going to lambast the boys for being held to a draw in a game that looked very winnable on paper.
“We are on a good run and we remain a work in progress.”
St Neots captain Luke Knight in action against Dunstable Town. Picture: CLAIRE HOWES - Credit: Archant
Saints fell behind when Taylor Parr deflected a cross-shot into his own net, but striker Tom Meechan celebrated the extension of his loan stay with an equaliser midway through the opening half after fine work from livewire Dion Sembie-Ferris.
Only the woodwork prevented them from hitting the front on the stroke of half-time when a Jack Bradshaw free-kick incredibly struck both posts but stayed out.
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They eventually went ahead 20 minutes into the second period when the searing pace of Sembie-Ferris again tormented the Dunstable defence and allowed Dylan Williams to strike from the second successive match.
But Saints were pegged back by a contentious penalty decision with 11 minutes to go after captain Luke Knight was adjudged to have impeded Dunstable substitute Kieran Ogden.
Clements added: “We were stung by a dubious penalty decision, but that is not the only cause for us not winning the game.
“I was very pleased with our attacking prowess and Dion, in particular, looked a constant threat.”
Saints are back on home soil this Saturday when they entertain Weymouth, 3pm.
