ST NEOTS came from a goal down with a man less to beat Sleaford Town at Rowley Park on Saturday. The visitors took the lead when Saints failed to clear a Pete Sutton corner and Lee Llewellyn sent the ball back into the box for Micky Stones to head home a

ST NEOTS came from a goal down with a man less to beat Sleaford Town at Rowley Park on Saturday.

The visitors took the lead when Saints failed to clear a Pete Sutton corner and Lee Llewellyn sent the ball back into the box for Micky Stones to head home after nine minutes. Saints' task was made even harder when James Hall was dismissed for retaliation after 27 minutes and a Steve Dogbe goal-line clearance from Llewellyn kept them in the game and 1-0 at half time.

The hosts came out fighting in the second half and Matt Kenneford hit the post. Peter Okechukwu drew St Neots level after 57 minutes, converting a Declan Rogers cross at the back post. Okechukwu was denied a brace by the post but substitute Chris Johnson laid the ball off for Keith Thomas to drill home the winner after 78 minutes.

St Neots manager Marvin Johnson said: "It was a very good result considering the circumstances. We had three players missing for the game through suspension so going into the game it was already difficult.

"We had a bad first half and went a goal down early on and lost our striker. It wasn't looking good at half time and I gave the lads an honest assessment. I told them they hadn't really played as well as I know they can.

"I said you can't start feeling sorry for yourselves at half time because you're a man down you've got to go out there and play. I was still upbeat and I can't judge other teams but I can judge us. The lads did play well then and you couldn't really tell that they had a man advantage over us.

"We got a goal back and that made us even more determined to get the result. I did a little bit of tinkering with the squad and put two up front and we got the win. It was probably one of my best decisions of the season as you make a judgment not knowing whether or not it will work but this one did.

"I looked at the game and thought we could win if we went forward and took a chance at the back. It could have backfired and they could have hit us and scored on the counter but it didn't and we got the win.

"The whole team effort showed great belief that we can achieve anything and it's probably one of our best victories. We want to finish as high in the league as we can and we have to concentrate on what we can do as other teams won't do us any favours. Hopefully this result will boost the confidence of the team and we can pick up and continue with the good results."

St Neots next play Thrapston Town at Rowley Park in the Hinchingbrooke Cup on Tuesday before they travel to Bourne Town in the league on Saturday.